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M 

A  HISTORY 


OF  THE 


Evangelical  Luthera'n 

Synod  of  Kansas 

(General  Synod) 


Together  with  a  Sketch  of  the  Augustana  Synod 

Churches  and   a   Brief  Presentation 

of  Other  Lutheran  Bodies 

Located  in  Kansas 


BY   J. 

REV.  H.  A.  OTT,  D.  D. 


PUBLISHED    BY   THE   AUTHORITY    OF    KANSAS   SYNOD 
1907 


PRESS  OF 

F.   M.   STEVES  &  SONS 

TOPEKA,  KAN. 


Table  of  Contents 


PAGE. 

Foreword 4 

The  Pioneer  Days 7 

Early  Conferences 26 

Organization  of  Kansas  Synod . .     30 

Charter  Members 33, 34 

Travelling  Synodical  Secretaries 36 

Kansas  Home  Missions  and  the  Western  Secretaries 43 

History  of  Church  Organizations 51 

German  Synod  of  Nebraska  Churches  in  Kansas 181. 

Churches  no  Longer  Existing,  or  Dismissed  to  Other  Synods  189 

Change  of  Name  of  Kansas  Synod  and  Incorporation 215 

Kansas  Synod  and  the  Growth  of  Her  Benevolences 217 

The  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society 219 

The  Young  People's  Society  Movement 225 

Kansas  Synod  and  Prohibitory  Temperance  Legislation.  . .  227 

Carthage  College  as  Related  to  Kansas  Synod 229 

Midland  College 230 

Bethany  College 239 

St.  John's  College 244 

The  Western  Theological  Seminary 246 

The  Ev.  Lutheran  Children's  Friend  Society  of  Kansas.  . .  255 

History  of  Kansas  Conference  of  Augustana  Synod 258 

Orphan's  Home  at  Mariadahl,  (Augustana) 274 

Young  People's  Organizations,  Augustana  Synod 276 

Augustana  Synod  Woman's  Aid  and  Missionary  Society.  . . .  278 
Biographical — Charter  Members,  Pioneer,  and  Present 

Members.    • \ 280 

Summary  by  Synods 290 

First  Parochial  Report,  Kansas  Synod 29"1 

Statistical  Tables,  The  Lutheran  Church  in  Kansas.  .292-301 

Thirty-Nine  Conventions,  of  Kansas  Synod.. 301 

Clerical  Members,  Kansas  Synod,  1868-1907 302-5 

Index 307-9 


FOREWORD. 


In  the  earlier  days  of  Kansas  Synod  historians  were  appointed 
to  collect  data  especially  covering  its  pioneer  history.  This  collec- 
tion of  documents  was  deposited  in  St.  John's  church  at  Welling- 
ton when  the  terriffic  cyclone  of  May  27th,  1892,  swept  over  that 
unfortunate  city,  tearing  down  the  church  and  scattering  these  pre- 
cious papers  to  the  winds,  a  loss  over  which  the  writer  has  mourned 
as  an  irretrievable  one.  At  a  later  period  other  matter  had  been 
gathered  by  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  and  this  likewise  perished  in  the 
burning  of  his  home  at  Prospect  Farm  near  Topeka.  After  this 
Revs.  David  Earhart  and  J.  B.  McAfee  prepared  brief  statements 
of  their  earlier  experiences.  Shortly  before  his  death  the  former 
sent  out  statistical  blanks  all  over  the  state  and  gathered  consider- 
able congregational  data.  This  he  was  unable  to  edit  owing  to 
the  infirmities  of  old  age.  In  1901  the  Synod  appointed  a  Histor- 
ical Committee  composed  of  Revs.  H.  A.  Ott,  J.  B.  McAfee,  David 
Earhart,  Holmes  Dysinger,  D.  D.,  J.  W.  Ball  and  R.  B.  Wolf,  and 
instructed  it  to  prepare  a  manuscript  history  of  Kansas  Synod. 
This  committee  outlined  such  a  work  and  apportioned  its  several 
parts  among  its  members.  At  the  convention  of  the  Synod  at 
Salina  in  1902,  the  writer  read  an  extended  sketch  of  the  pioneer 
history  preceding  the  organization  of  Kansas  Synod.  Aside  from 
this  nothing  was  done  for  the  two  following  years  save  to  gather 
material.  The  removal  of  Dr.  Dysinger  and  Rev.  Ball,  and  the 
death  of  Father  Earhart,  resulted  in  adding  to  the  committee,  Drs. 
H.  L.  Yarger  and  M.  F.  Troxell  and  Rev.  E.  E.  Stauffer. 

The  committee  agreed  that  the  work  of  writing  the  History  could 
be  done  satisfactorily  only  by  delegating  the  entire  labor  to  one 
man.  The  writer  was  chosen  editor  and  instructed  to  enlarge  the 
scope  of  the  work  taking  in  other  Kansas  Lutheran  bodies  as  large- 
ly as  possible.  The  Synod  authorized  its  publication.  Thus  given 
free  rein  the  author  set  himself  to  the  task.     The  preparation  not 


only  involved  the  careful  reading  of  the  minutes,  both  general  and 
synodical,  covering  a  period  of  forty  years,  and  cataloguing  the 
information,  but  also  the  tedious  and  laborious  reading  of  the 
Lutheran  Observer  from  1854  to  the  present  time,  as  well  as  the 
Missionary  Journal  from  1885  to  the  present  date.  The  sketches 
necessarily  had  to  be  abbreviated  owing  to  the  financial  risk  in- 
volved in  the  publication  of  a  work  the  sale  of  which  would  natural- 
ly be  limited,  and  much  interesting  detail  had  to  be  stricken  out. 
The  book  is  far  from  being  complete  and  satisfies  no  one  so  little 
as  its  author.  However  in  its  preparation  no  pains  or  effort  has 
been  spared  to  make  it  touch  upon  all  the  important  events  which 
have  gone  to  make  our  history.  Practically  every  line  has  been 
the  result  of  careful  investigation  and  verification.  The  author 
wishes  to  acknowledge  with  gratitude  the  assistance  of  the  various 
members  of  the  committee  in  critically  reviewing  the  manuscript, 
and  of  Rev.  R.  B.  Wolf,  who  prepared  the  statistical  tables,  and  of 
the  writer's  old  parishioner  and  friend  Mr."  William  G.  Reinoehl  of 
Quincy,  Illinois,  who  designed  and  contributed  the  gold  side-stamp 
of  the  cover.  All  told,  it  has  been  a  labor  of  love,  occupying  prac- 
tically all  of  the  author's  spare  time  during  the  years  of  its  prepara- 
tion, but  given  gladly  with  the  pleasing  thought  that  it  would  add 
to  the  welfare  of  our  beloved  church  in  Kansas. 

With  the  prayer  that  God  may  use  this  little  volume  in  stimulat- 
ing the  glorious  work  of  extending  His  Kingdom,  it  is  sent  forth 
on  its  mission. 


H.  A.  G-tt,  "I 

R.  B.  Wolf, 

J.  B.  McAfee,  [  ...       .    .  _ 

E.  E.  Stauffer,  >  Historical  Committee. 

H.  L.  Yarger, 

M.  F.  Troxell,  J 


A    PIONEER   SOD   PRAIRIE   HOME   SUCH    AS   SHELTERED   MANY 
EARLY   PIONEERS. 


LUTHERANISM  IN    KANSAS 
A  History  of  Kansas  Synod 


THE  PIONEER  DAYS. 

The  history  of  Lutheranism  in  Kansas  is  very  closely  allied  to 
the  history  of  the  state  itself.  In  all  the  struggles  and  hardships 
through  which  the  early  settlers  passed  the  Kansas  Lutheran  parti- 
cipated. The  noble  prairies  and  the  finely  wooded  valleys  along  the 
winding  creeks  of  Eastern  Kansas,  as  locations  for  future  homes, 
appealed  to  the  sturdy  Lutheran  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and 
Virginia,  as  strongly  as  they  appealed  to  the  Puritan  of  New  Eng- 
land. The  time  had  gone  by  when  Kansas  was  considered  by  the 
East  as  "The  Great  American  Desert."  However  very  few  settlers 
had  crossed  the  Missouri  river  to  live  upon  Kansas  soil,  owing  to 
the  governmental  restrictions.  It  was  not  until  the  passage  of  the 
famous  Kansas-Nebraska  Bill  May  30th,  1854,  that  immigration 
turned  its  tide  toward  this  fair  land.  According  to  this  bill  Kansas 
was  outlined  as  a  Territory  408  miles  long  and  208  miles  broad, 
containing  82,080  square  miles.  The  burning  question  of  slavery 
or  no  slavery,  a  slave  state  or  a  free  state,  was  left  to  be  decided 
by  the  incoming  settlers  thereon.  The  effect  of  the  bill  was  to 
tremendously  quicken  the  flood  of  immigration  into  the  new  terri- 
tory. The  pro-slavery  people  of  the  South,  quick  to  see  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  residence  near  the  new  Territory,  hastened  to  send 
into  it  across  the  Missouri  and  Arkansas  borders  thousands  of 
slavery  sympathizers.  The  ardent  abolitionists  of  New  England, 
none  behind  in  a  keen  insight  into  the  prevailing  conditions,  pro- 
ceeded to  send  whole  colonies  into   Kansas.     In  this  they    were 


8  EARLY   RELIGIOUS   CONDITIONS. 

greatly  hampered  by  the  pro-slavery  Missourians,  who  hindered 
them  from  freely  crossing  Missouri.  However  thousands  poured 
into  the  country  by  the  way  of  Iowa  and  Nebraska.  From  1854  to 
1860  one  hundred  thousand  people  entered  Eastern  Kansas,  and 
homesteaded  large  tracts  of  land,  so  that  in  the  short  space  of  six 
years  after  Kansas  had  been  organized  as  a  territory,  it  was  ready 
to  be  admitted  into  the  Union  as  a  state,  and  was  regularly  received 
on  January  29th,  1861. 

The  early  settlers  were  poor,  very  poor,  but  appeals  were  made 
to  their  friends  in  the  East,  and  help  came.  The  Methodist  church 
was  early  on  the  field  and  the  Presbyterian  closely  followed.  Of 
the  latter  denomination,  Rev.  Dr.  T.  Hill,  says,  "Of  the  whole  num- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Kansas  up  to  1882,  only  two  were 
founded  without  aid  from  the  mission  boards."  This  was  the  experi- 
ence of  other  denominations  working  in  Kansas.  Those  who  en- 
tered the  field  early  are  the  ones  who  have  kept  the  lead  ever  since. 
It  is  impossible  to  gather  any  reliable  religious  statistics  of  church 
membership  in  the  Territory  up  to  the  time  it  became  a  state.  At 
most  churches  were  really  few  in  number,  as  the  first  years  were 
devoted  to  anything  save  planting  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  to  establish  churches  in  the  new  Territory 
owing  to  the  real  poverty  of  the  people,  who  were  unable  to  either 
support  a  ministry  or  to  build  churches,  as  well  as  to  the  almost 
universal  eagerness  of  the  population  to  make  money;  so  much  so 
that  people  religious  in  their  former  homes  in  the  East  seemed  to 
neglect  every  religious  instinct,  sacrificing  them  to  the  god  of  mam- 
mon. Then  the  reign  of  terror  which  prevailed  in  the  Territory, 
because  of  continuous  outrages  perpetrated  by  the  border  ruffians, 
had  a  tendency  to  un-Christianize  the  populace.  In  the  midst  of 
such  environment  religion  could  not  flourish.  The  heart  of  the  peo- 
ple became  callous,  and  the  moral  soil  was  a  thorny  soil  indeed  in 
which  to  sow  the  seed  of  the  Word.  While  a  large  contingent  of 
those  who  entered  the  Territory  were  rough  and  lawless,  it  must 
be  said  that  a  much  larger  number  were  intelligent,  earnest  and 
honest  men  and  women,  who  had  emigrated  from  churchly  and 
pious  communities  in  the  East. 

In  telling  the  story  of  the  beginnings  of  the  church  in  Kansas, 
it  might  be  well  to  state  that  no  railroads  had  penetrated  Kansas 
prior  to  its  becoming  a  state.  Railroads  had  reached  the  eastern 
border  line;  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  and  Atchison,  Kan.,  had  been  con- 
nected with  an  iron  highway  on  Missouri  soil.  Many  railroads  had 
been  projected  during  the  war;  however,  little  was  done  in  the  real 


EARLY    TRAILS    AND    RAILROADS.  9 

building,  until  the  war  was  ever.  By  the  time  the  Synod  of  Kansas 
was  organized  in  1868,  the  Central  Branch  had  been  completed  as 
far  west  as  Waterville;  the  Union  Pacific  had  been  finished  to  a 
point  within  thirt-five  miles  of  the  Colorado  line;  a  railway  con- 
nected Leavenworth,  Lawrence,  and  Ottawa;  and  the  great  Santa 
Fe  System  was  mainly  on  paper,  having  only  a  short  stub  from 
Topeka  to  a  point  thirty-five  miles  southwest. 

Travel  in  those  days  was  necessarily  slow  and  painful.  The 
hardships  and  deprivations  in  carrying  personal  effects  into  the 
West,  and  grain  products  from  the  "West  to  the  Missouri  river  on 
the  East,  with  nearly  all  water  ways  without  bridges,  were  such 
that  few  of  us  of  a  later  generation  are  prepared  to  appreciate  the 
pioneer  conditions.  In  the  earlier  days  the  travel  westward  into 
the  Territory,  was  along  two  principal  trails  or  highways.  Lead- 
ing out  of  Missouri  at  Independence  and  Westport,  towns  in  Jack- 
son county,  near  where  Kansas  City  is  now  located,  a  main  road 
entered  Kansas  branching  into  two  trails.  One  of  these  bent  slight- 
ly to  the  southwest,  and  was  the  noted  "Santa  Fe  Trail,"  which 
after  striking  the  Arkansas  river  followed  it  for  some  distance  and 
then  struck  across  the  country  to  the  old  Spanish  settlement  at 
Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico.  The  other,  after  crossing  the  Shawnee 
Reservation,  ran  up  between  the  Kaw  and  Wakarusha  rivers,  cross- 
ing the  former  below  Ft.  Riley,  then  led  out  toward  Ft.  Laramie. 
This  latter  was  the  famed  "California  Road"  along  which  in  the 
early  fifties  streams  of  gold-seekers  plodded  westward  to  win  for- 
tunes in  the  Pacific  gold  fields,  or  to  miserably  perish  on  the  way. 
Besides  these  two  great  highways  there  were  two  other  main  roads 
or  trails  starting  westward  from  Leavenworth,  which  in  those  early 
days  was  a  more  promising  town  than  Kansas  City.  One  of  these 
trails  went  toward  Fort  Laramie,  and  the  other  traversed  the  rich 
country  by  Fort  Riley  in  the  direction  of  the  great  Santa  Fe  Trail. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  these  trails  hovered  near  the  Forts 
which  afforded  the  traveller  protection  from  the  Indians  who  often 
massacred  whole  colonies.  Along  these  trails  the  first  settlers 
located,  and  here  were  established  the  earliest  white  churches. 

In  the  Fall  of  1854,  among  the  young  men  who  had  been  licensed 
to  preach  the  Gospel  by  the  Maryland  Synod,  was  a  bright  young 
man,  an  undergraduate  of  Gettysburg  College,  who  had  taken  a 
private  course  in  theology  under  the  tutorship  of  Rev.  Fr.  Anspach. 
His  health  was  poor  and  a  change  of  climate  was  absolutely  nec- 
essary, and  he  chose  the  new  country  which  that  same  year  had 
been  thrown  open  for  settlement.    On  the  first  of  April,  1855,  with 


10  REV.  J.  B.  MCAFEE  STARTS  TO  KANSAS. 

his  wife  and  little  daughter,  he  started  on  his  long  journey.  The 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  railroad  carried  him  as  far  as  Wheeling,  Vir- 
ginia. Here  he  boarded  an  Ohio  river  steamer  for  Cincinnati,  as  in 
those  early  days  few  railroads  existed  west  of  Pittsburgh.  At  Cin- 
cinnati he  changed  boats,  taking  another  bound  for  St.  Louis  down 
the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mississippi  rivers.  At  the  latter  point  he  took 
another  steamer  which  plied  between  St.  Louis  and  Leavenworth, 
on  the  eastern  line  of  the  State  of  Kansas  which  was  to  be  his 
future  home. 

The  journey  upon  the  bosoms  of  these  mighty  rivers,  of  over  fif- 
teen hundred  miles,  occupying  fourteen  days  enroute,  was  full  of 
interest  to  the  young  preacher.  The  magnificence  of  the  scenery 
was  all  that  the  heart  could  desire.  The  streams  flowed  full  at  this 
spring-tide  and  dangers  from  stranding  were  very  slight.  In  the 
warmth  of  his  heart  he  held  a  series  of  religious  services  on  the 
boat  enroute.  In  the  earlier  portion  of  his  journey  his  fellow  trav- 
ellers were  people  largely  of  his  own  sympathies;  however  when 
he  entered  the  waters  of  the  Missouri  he  began  to  come  into  contact 
with  the  disagreeable  snags  of  slavery.  An  aged  man  on  board  the 
boat  desired  to  have  religious  services  held,  but  found  several 
elderly  clergymen  on  the  boat  unwilling  to  conduct  them,  and  learn- 
ing that  this  young  man  from  Maryland  had  held  services  on  the 
Ohio  river  asked  him  to  take  the  helm,  which  he  did.  After  an- 
nouncing the  hymn, 

"Am  I  a  soldier  of  the  cross, 
A  follower  of  the  Lamb," 
he  preached  from  the  text,  "Ye  are  my  witnesses,"  taking  advantage 
of  the  occasion  to  exhort  all  believers  to  fidelity  to  Christ  and  His 
Gospel. 

On  the  fifteenth  of  April,  1855,  his  boat  moored  at  a  rude  wharf 
at  Leavenworth,  a  small  pro-slavery  settlement  on  the  banks  of 
the  river  near  the  fort  of  the  same  name  which  had  been  laid-out 
only  a  few  months  previous.  At  this  time  the  town  had  only  a  few 
buildings,  and  it  was  known  as  the  home  of  a  rank  pro-slavery 
paper  called  the  Leavenworth  Herald.  Every  passenger  almost  as 
soon  as  he  had  alighted  was  interviewed  as  to  his  position  upon 
the  subject  of  slavery.  A  man  could  not  honestly  state  his  con- 
victions if  they  were  anti-slavery  without  having  a  torrent  of  per- 
sonal abuse  poured  out  upon  his  head,  and  every  possible  effort 
was  made  to  brow-beat  him,  even  threatening  his  life,  finally  telling 
him  to  get  out  of  the  country  and  right  quick  at  that.  Our  friend 
shortly  after  this  was  waited  on    by  a  committee  and    asked    to 


FIRST  LUTHERAN  ORGANIZATION   IN   THE  STATE.  11 

preach  a  sermon  on  the  subject,  "Slavery  is  a  divine  institution 
and  ordained  of  God."  He  replied  respectfully  that  he  could  not 
do  that  because  he  did  not  believe  it.  They  insisted  and  argued 
and  finally  he  said  he  would  as  soon  undertake  to  prove  that  his 
satanic  majesty  was  still  an  angel  of  light  as  to  prove  that  slavery 
was  a  divine  institution.  Then  they  peremptorily  notified  him  to 
"leave  or  hang." 

This  was  certainly  a  very  uninviting  field  for  a  young,  out-spoken 
abolitionist  in  which  to  establish  a  home,  and  begin  life  with  a  wife 
and  family,  and  especially  as  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel.  However, 
on  Sunday  one  week  after  his  arrival,  we  find  our  young  hero  mani- 
festing a  zeal  worthy  of  the  calling  to  the  office  of  which  he  had 
been  set  apart.  A  room  was  secured,  a  service  announced,  and  the 
Gospel  preached,  and  this  he  kept  up,  preaching  twice  every  Sun- 
day as  long  as  he  made  Leavenworth  his  home.  In  his  work  his 
labors  were  shared  by  two  ministers  of  another  denomination,  and 
between  them  they  kept  the  Gospel  fires  burning  in  what  was  then 
regarded  as  the  most  wicked  settlement  in  the  new  Territory.  On 
May  13th  he  assisted  in  organizing  the  first  Sunday  school  in  the 
Territory  aside  from  those  established  at  Government  posts  or 
Indian  schools.  That  young  pioneer  of  the  Gospel,  as  preached  by 
the  Lutheran  church,  was  Rev.  Josiah  B.  McAfee,  now  residing  at 
Topeka. 

On  May  14th,  1855,  he  opened  a  small  private  school,  in  a  small 
wooden  building  which  he  erected  through  a  generous  loan  of  $200 
made  him  by  Judge  S.  N.  Latta,  which  he  called  the  Leavenworth 
Collegiate  Institute.  This  school  doubtless  was  the  first  opened 
on  Kansas  soil  aside  from  the  mission  Indian  schools.  The  enter- 
prise was  humble  enough,  the  room  being  16  by  16  feet,  and  par- 
tioned  off  from  it  was  another  10  by  16  feet  in  which  he  and  his 
wife  and  child  resided.  It  was  a  day  of  small  beginnings  but  the 
room  was  soon  filled  and  afforded  him  enough  of  an  income  to  sup- 
port his  family.  While  conducting  this  school  he  continued  to 
preach  every  Sunday,  and  for  this  service  he  refused  any  com- 
pensation, a  rule  to  which  he  adhered  all  his  life,  even  refusing 
wedding  fees. 

In  August,  1855,  he  organized  the  first  Lutheran  church  in  the 
Territory.  Among  the  charter  members  of  this  church  were  a  Mrs. 
Garno  and  daughter,  a  Mrs.  Grant,  John  W.  Barber  and  daughter, 
Miss  Jennie  Lyon,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elbert,  the  pastor  and  wife 
and  one  other,  thirteen  all  told.  During  the  same  month  he  suc- 
ceeded in  erecting  a  small  union  church  building  by  selling  shares 


12  LOSS  OF  THE  LEAVENWORTH  CHURCH. 

to  various  residents,  the  building  costing  about  $1500.  In  July  the 
following  year  he  turned  his  school  over  to  a  Professor  Strong. 
About  that  time  the  pro-slavery  people  made  existence  about  as  mis- 
erable as  could  be  to  him,  and  at  times  he  felt  that  his  very  life  was 
in  jeopardy.  Leaving  the  settlement  he  went  to  Ohio  to  interview 
Gov.  Salmon  P.  Chase  about  the  Kansas  troubles,  afterward  pro- 
ceeding to  Maryland,  where  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry.  Upon 
his  return  in  November,  he  found  his  home  in  possession  of  a  stal- 
wart Georgian,  and  his  church  and  school  house  occupied  by  gov- 
ernment stores,  the  school  closed  and  Professor  Strong  a  fugitive 
from  the  anger  of  the  pro-slavery  people.  Unfortunately  for  the 
church,  the  deeds  for  the  land  on  which  the  school  and  church 
stood  were  not  finally  executed.  The  lots  had  been  donated  by  the 
Town  Site  Association,  but  as  later  some  lots  were  needed  for  a 
public  school  site  the  Association  cancelled  the  donation,  and  pre- 
sented the  lots  to  the  town,  which  resulted  in  the  removal  of  both 
the  school  building  and  the  church,  and  the  selling  of  the  latter  and 
the  returning  of  the  money  to  the  share  holders.  A  Rev.  A.  Reuter 
served  the  congregation  for  a  short  time,  but  after  his  removal  the 
congregation  disbanded,  the  German  portion  in  later  years  uniting 
with  a  Missouri  Lutheran  church  which  had  been  organized  in  1862, 
and  which  possibly  was  the  first  Lutheran  church  of  that  Synod  in 
the  state,  a  congregation  which  remains  to  this  day  in  Leavenworth, 
a  healthy  congregation  of  over  four  hundred  communicants. 

Thus  began  and  ended,  in  the  most  promising  and  populous 
center  in  the  new  Territory,  the  first  Lutheran  church  organized 
west  of  the  Missouri  river,  which  certainly  would  have  remained  to 
this  day,  a  monument  to  the  zeal  and  self-sacrifice  of  its  founder, 
had  it  been  backed  up  with  sustaining  help  from  a  home  mission 
and  church  erection  board.  Unfortunately  at  that  early  date  the 
General  Synod  was  doing  very  little  home  mission  work  and  had 
very  little  mission  money  to  spend  on  the  West.  In  fact  at  that 
time  we  did  not  have  a  Home  Mission  Board  to  administer  the 
money  the  church  might  have  raised.  Thus  our  opportunities  for 
the  planting  of  our  beloved  church  at  an  early  date. in  this  splendid 
territory  were  lost  because  we  were  poor  and  also  because  we  failed 
to  appreciate  fully  our  responsibilities  as  a  church  in  caring  for 
our  common  Lutheran  heritage. 

The  next  effort  to  establish  a  church  was  at  Grasshopper  Falls, 
now  Valley  Falls,  a  small  settlement  thirty-five  miles  west  of  Leav- 
enworth, to  which  Rev.  McAfee  had  removed  and  where  he  had 
purchased  290  acres  of  land  and  proceeded  to  till  the  soil  for  a  liv- 


FIRST   PERMANENT  LUTHERAN   CHURCH   BUILDING. 


13 


ing.  Here  he  organized  a  Sunday  school  on  the  7th  of  June,  1857, 
of  which  Mr.  Samuel  Shirck  became  the  superintendent.  Encour- 
aged with  his  success  he  at  once  advocated  the  organization  of  a 
church,  which  was  accomplished  one  week  later  in  the  dining  room 
of  a  rude  hotel  in  the  village,  as  the  English  Lutheran  church  of 
Grasshopper  Falls.  Services  were  held  in  this  dining  room  for  a 
few  months  but  the  quarters  were  both  undesirable  and  inadequate. 
Lots  were  secured  in  a  central  location  and  that  fall  steps  were 
taken  for  the  erection  of  a  church  building.  A  little  frame  church 
was  planned,  24  by  30  feet,  to  cost  about  $1,000,  and  pastor  and 
people  set  themselves  to  the  task  with  a  will  in  the  erection  of  the 
first  permanent  Lutheran  church  building  on  Kansas  soil.  The  logs 
were  hauled  from  the  woods  to  a  neighboring  saw  mill  with  the 
pastor's  ox  team,  and  the  stone  to  the  church  from  the  quarry.  The 
lime  for  the  foundation  and  the  plastering  was  burned  by  the  pastor 


FIRST    (G.   S.)    LUTHERAN   CHURCH    WEST  OF   THE   MISSOURI    RIVER 
LOCATED   AT  VALLEY   FALLS,   KANSAS. 

in  an  improvised  kiln  in  the  ground  upon  a  hill  side.  For  three 
days  and  nights  he  sat  by  that  home-made  kiln  and  fed. the  fires 
with  dry  wood  gathered  from  the  creek  bottoms.  He  hauled  the 
sand  and  carried  every  pound  of  the  mortar  for  the  mason  and  the 
plasterer.     In  the  absence  of  lath  he  nailed  thin  boards  to  the  stud- 


14  THE    GRASSHOPPER    FALLS    CHURCH. 

ding  and  joists,  then  splitting  them  made  cracks  to  receive  the 
plastering,  and  in  many  ways  aided  in  the  carpenter  work,  showing 
in  himself  the  true  elements  of  a  loyal  missionary.  Before  the 
winter  set  in  the  happy  congregation  was  worshipping  in  their  own 
building.  The  first  building  has  been  supplanted  at  Valley  Falls 
by  another,  and  the  old  structure  is  now  owned  and  used  by  a 
negro  M.  E.  congregation. 

While  Rev.  McAfee  was  preaching  at  Grasshopper  Falls  he  was 
waited  on  by  Mr.  S.  J.  H.  Snyder  and  Mr.  John  Helwig,  two  earnest 
Lutheran  laymen,  living  at  Monrovia,  a  small  settlement  located 
about  fifteen  miles  to  the  north-east.  These  brethren  invited  him 
to  preach  in  their  village  which  he  consented  to  do  once  in  every 
two  weeks.  On  the  16th  of  January,  1858,  he  organized  there  a 
Lutheran  church.  In  this  itineracy  he  established  preaching  points 
at  Pardee  in  Atchison  county  and  Crooked  Creek  in  Jefferson 
county,  and  in  June,  1858,  he  organized  a  Lutheran  church  in  the 
former  place,  and  in  July,  one  in  the  latter  place.  To  this  charge 
of  four  churches  he  preached  for  three  years,  and  to  serve  it  he 
was  obliged  to  travel  on  horse-back  a  circuit  of  forty-five  miles  on 
every  other  Sunday.  A  little  later  he  became  financially  able  to 
invest  in  a  rude  two  wheel  springless  sulky  in  which  he  and  his 
wife  would  often  make  the  round.  At  one  time  one  of  his  congre- 
gations raised  fifty  dollars  for  their  salary-less  pastor  and  offered 
it  to  him  as  compensation  for  his  services.  He  positively  declined 
to  receive  it.  His  wife  not  sharing  his  peculiar  views  about  a  sal- 
aried minister  though  sharing  his  hardships,  pleaded  with  him  to 
take  the  money,  and  use  it  for  the  purchase  of  a  more  comfortable 
conveyance,  even  with  tears,  still  he  refused.  After  a  continuous 
service  at  Grasshopper  Falls  of  five  years  he  resigned  his  charge 
in  1862  and  entered  the  army  as  a  lieutenant,  and  this  ended  his 
work  as  a  pastor,  as  thereafter  he  devoted  his  life  mostly  to  secular 
pursuits.  During  his  later  years  he  greatly  prospered  in  material 
things,  and  out  of  his  earnings  has  given  most  liberally  to  the  sup- 
port and  extension  of  the  Lutheran  church  in  Kansas.  There  are 
very  few  Lutheran  churches  of  the  General  Synod  erected  in  Kan- 
sas in  which  he  has  not  some  money.  His  hand  was  open  as  day 
to  every  appeal.  His  gifts  to  the  Topeka  church  alone  amounted  to 
over  $5,000.  It  was  a  common  thing  for  him  to  send  his  check 
for  $100  when  appealed  to  for  aid  in  the  erection  of  a  new  church. 
His  total  gifts  including  the  increased  value  of  property  purchased 
by  him  for  church  purposes  exceed  $10,000,  and  possibly  reach 
$15,000.    Pastors  likewise  have  had  occasion  to  remember  him  with 


SOLOMON   J.   H.  SNYDER. 


15 


gratitude  for  substantial  help  while  passing  through  the  seasons  of 
drouth  and  plague  in  later  years. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  Mr.  Solomon  J.  H.  Snyder,  of  Mon- 
rovia. Mr  Snyder  was  without  doubt  the  first  Lutheran  to  enter 
the  new  Territory  or  to  pre-empt  a  homestead  there.  His  entrance 
and  that  of  Mr.  John  Helwig  of  Canal  Dover,  Ohio,  antedates, 
that  of  Rev.  McAfee  by  nearly  a  year.  The  records  of  the  Effing- 
ham church  tell  the  story  of  Mr.  Snyder's  trip  west,  written  by  Mr. 
Snyder  himself.    In  it  he  tells  how  he  emigrated  from  Wells  county 


MR.  JOHN   HELWIG. 


HON.  SOLOMON   J.   H.  SNYDER. 


Indiana  on  account  of  the  prevailing  ague  and  fever.  Leaving  his 
family  there  he  began  his  journey  to  Kansas  on  foot,  in  April  1854, 
traversing  through  Illinois,  Southern  Wisconsin,  Iowa  and  into  the 
then  Indian  Reservation  at  Council  Bluffs.  Thence  he  journeyed 
southward  where  the  whole  country  was  wild,  where  the  wigwam 
of  the  Indian  could  be  seen,  and  not  a  dwelling  house  in  all  the 
prairie  wilderness.  When  the  night  came  he  would  build  a  fire 
under  the  shelter  of  a  friendly  tree,  and  after  he  had  made  supper 
upon  some  crackers  which  he  carried  with  him,  he  would  pull  off 


16  THE   FIRST  LUTHERAN   TO   PRE-EMPT   LAND. 

his  boots  using  them  for  a  pillow,  and  there  all  alone,  after  com- 
mitting his  soul  to  the  care  of  his  Heavenly  Father,  would  lay  him- 
self down  to  sleep,  while  the  wild  animals  of  the  forest  and  prairie 
were  howling  about  him.  Morning  coming  he  would  again  resume 
his  journey,  over-hills  and  through  valleys,  across  prairies  and 
through  woodlands,  and  thus  day  after  day  he  pursued  his  course 
covering  the  nearly  two  hundred  miles  which  lay  between  Council 
Bluffs  and  Fort  Leavenworth.  Arriving  at  the  Fort  he  was  permit- 
ted to  lodge  with  the  soldiers.  Here  he  was  directed  to  a  mission- 
ary among  the  Indians  located  about  three  miles  from  the  Fort. 
The  missionary  received  him  kindly  and  together  they  examined  the 
land  in  that  section  and  Mr.  Snyder  selected  some  of  the  most  val- 
uable land  known  to  the  missionary.  All  this  was  before  the  Kan- 
sas-Nebraska act  had  been  finally  promulgated.  That  bill  was 
passed  by  Congress  on  the  27th  of  May  and  was  signed  by  Presi- 
dent Pierce  on  the  30th,  and  the  day  before  it  went  into  effect  Mr. 
Snyder  made  his  selection  of  land.  At  the  same  time  he  purchased 
another  quarter  section  from  an  Indian  by  the  name  of  Killbuck. 
Having  complied  with  what  he  understood  to  be  the  requirements 
of  a  squatter  he  requested  the  missionary  to  watch  his  claims  while 
he  returned  to  Indiana  for  his  family,  and  this  the  missionary 
agreed  to  do.  Then  he  resumed  his  painful  journey  homeward  ar- 
riving in  due  time  after  a  journey  of  over  2,000  miles  on  foot.  Then 
in  company  with  his  wife  and  two  children,  Mr.  and  Mrs  John  Hel- 
wig  of  Canal  Dover,  Ohio,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  S.  Stauffer  and 
three  children,  with  three  wagons,  he  returned  overland  to  Kansas, 
arriving  on  the  24th  of  November.  Alas!  He  returned  onlv  to 
have  his  hopes  blasted,  and  his  cup  of  bitterness  filled  to  the  brim. 
All  the  labors  of  his  two  thousand  mile  journey  on  foot  were  lost. 
His  missionary  friend  had  departed  with  his  Indians  for  Texas,  and 
pro-slavery  ruffians  had  jumped  his  claims,  and  knowing  him  and 
his  friends  to  be  "free  state"  men  these  fellows  of  the  baser  sort 
proceeded  to  make  their  lives  miserable,  even  threatening  to  kill 
them.  So  they  abandoned  their  claims  and  proceeded  up  Stranger 
creek  following  an  old  Indian  trail  until  near  its  head.  Here  ihey 
took  up  claims  where  Monrovia  now  stands.  However  they  were 
"singled  out  to  be  destroyed."  Scarcely  had  they  become  located 
when  a  terrible  internecine  war  broke  out  over  the  slavery  question 
and  the  newly  settled  trio  were  ordered  out  of  the  country.  But 
amid  trials  hard  for  us  to  apprciate  now,  they  stood  their  ground. 
Snyder's  two  children  died,  his  wife  lay  at  the  point  of  death  from 
dropsy,  and  he  himself  was  almost  helpless  for  a  while  with  a  di- 


BORDER   RUFFIANISM.  17 

s:ase  jf  the  hip.  For  weeks  they  were  obliged  to  live  on  grated 
green  corn.  Stauffer  died  suddenly  with  "billious  colic,"  which 
left  a  widow  and  three  children  as  an  additional  care  to  the  two 
remaining  devoted  men,  Snyder  and  Helwig.  These  men  had  been 
loyal  and  earnest  members  of  the  Lutheran  church  in  the  East  and 
very  naturally  now  hungered  for  the  Gospel.  Hearing  of  the  ar- 
rival in  Leavenworth  of  a  Lutheran  minister  they  concluded  to  try 
to  get  him  to  come  to  Monrovia  and  preach  occasionally.  Late  in 
the  fall  of  1855,  Mr.  Snyder  journeyed  down  "Stranger  creek  to 
Leavenworth  City"  for  his  man.  He  was  kindly  met  by  Rev.  Mc- 
Afee. As  Mr.  Snyder  was  a  "marked"  man  it  was  thought  best  to 
keep  him  out  of  sight.  He  was  concealed  in  Rev.  McAfee's  school 
room,  given  a  blanket  and  locked  up  for  the  night  with  the  bene- 
diction, "God  preserve  you."  Rev.  McAfee  agreed  to  give  them  a 
service  every  two  weeks,  "God  willing."  However  unforseen  events 
made  it  impossible,  owing  to  the  stirring  times  and  opposition  by  the 
border  ruffians.  Divine  services  were  however  held  at  the  Monrovia 
settlement  several  times  by  a  Methodist  minister  by  the  name  of 
Knox  and  by  "Pardee  Butler"  a  noted  local  character.  Finally 
Messrs  Snyder  and  Helwig  appointed  prayer  meetings  to  be  held 
in  Mr.  Snyder's  cabin;  but  few  attended  "amidst  the  increasing 
troubles,  pillage  and  murder,  and  religious  meetings  were  danger- 
ous as  they  were  accounted  'abolition  meetings,'  and  were  at  last 
forbidden  under  penalty  of  death."  After  Rev.  McAfee  had  settled 
in  Grasshopper  Falls  these  two  loyal  men  again  visited  him  to  ask 
his  services  in  breaking  the  bread  of  life  to  them,  and  this  time 
with  success  as  related  here-after.  Mr.  Snyder  came  manfully  out 
of  these  tribulations,  and  in  later  years  was  honored  with  various 
public  offices,  having  twice  been  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  State  Legis- 
lature and  once  to  its  Senate.  He  was  one  of  God's  true  laymen, 
a  most  intelligent  and  upright  Christian  man.  His  literary  produc- 
tions embrace  a  Sunday  school  work,  "Lost  Children,"  and  "Scenes 
in  the  West,"  the  latter  book  being  issued  by  the  Lutheran  Publica- 
tion Society.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  November,  1873,  he 
had  almost  completed  the  manuscript  of  a  work  on  "Infidelity" 
written  in  dialogue  style,  in  which  he  figured  the  meek  and  lowly 
Christian  fighting  against  the  infidel.  Mr.  Snyder  died  at  the  age 
of  62,  November,  1873. 

The  second  Lutheran  clergyman  who  came  to  Kansas  with  the 
thought  of  making  his  future  home  there  was  Rev.  David  Earhart. 
This  earnest  and  loyal  Lutheran  labored  incessantly  for  thirteen 
years  in  the  pioneer  days  of  Kansas,  preaching  the  Gospel    and 


18  REV.   DAVID   EARHART. 

seeking  to  establish  the  Lutheran  church  in  this  new  country. 
Eleven  years  of  the  thirteen  were  years  prior  to  the  organization 
of  Kansas  Synod.  He  should  be  styled  the  Nestor  among  our 
sturdy  pioneers.  None  labored  so  long  as  he  in  this  pioneer  work, 
and  none  endured  such  trials,  hardships  and  privations,  none  sacri- 
ficed as  freely  in  time  and  physical  labor,  and  none  left  such  per- 
manent results  of  his  labors  as  he.  He  arrived  in  Kansas  in  June 
1857,  two  years  after  the  arrival  of  Rev.  McAfee.  His  trip  from 
Pennsylvania  was  largely  by  steamboat.  His  objective  point  was 
Ozakee,  in  Jefferson  county,  where  a  land  sale  had  been  advertised, 
and  he  was  very  desirous  to  get  a  good  farm  upon  which  to  live 
while  he  was  doing  mission  work  in  the  Territory.  He  came  also 
as  the  special  agent  of  the  Pittsburg  Synod,  to  which  he  belonged, 
and  was  authorized  to  secure  lots  for  churches  and  parsonages  in 
the  promising  towns.  He  was  successful  in  securing  a  number 
upon  certain  conditions,  but  owing  to  the  terrible  drouth  of  1860, 
and  the  Civil  War  following,  and  the  discouraging  grasshopper 
plague  following  the  latter,  the  conditions  could  not  be  complied 
with,  and  the  lot  enterprise  failed. 

In  April,  1860,  Rev.  Earhart  with  his  family  located  at  Sumner, 
a  small  town  three  miles  south  of  Atchison,  where  he  preached  for 
one  year,  effecting  a  partial  organization  of  a  Lutheran  church.  In 
the  summer  of  the  following  year  one  of  the  cyclones  so  common 
in  Kansas  in  those  early  days,  struck  the  town  and  destroyed  it  in- 
cluding the  building  in  which  the  congregation  worshipped,  and 
this  calamity  sealed  the  doom  of  the  church.  In  the  month  of  May, 
1860,  he  was  elected  pastor,  at  the  request  of  Rev.  McAfee,  of  the 
churches  at  Pardee  and  Monrovia,  which  the  latter  had  organized. 
Finding  them  rather  loosely  organized  from  a  doctrinal  standpoint, 
he  at  once  proceeded  to  re-organize  them  under  a  constitution  which 
recognized  the  Augsburg  Confession  as  the  doctrinal  basis.  In  his 
memoirs  Rev.  Earhart  tells  of  the  opposition  he  met  to  this  re-or- 
ganization, and  that  the  people  thought  him  decidedly  too  much  of 
"the  old  measure"  type  to  suit  them  and  had  him  on  the  rack  sev- 
eral times.  However  they  soon  found  that  he  was  planted  on  the 
universally  received  confession  of  the  Lutheran  church,  and  that 
they  were  standing  on  nothing,  and  accordingly  rallied  to  his  sup- 
port in  a  most  loyal  manner,  and  his  long  popularity  with  this  peo- 
ple showed  that  his  strict  teaching  was  most  timely  and  effective. 

In  May,  1860,  he  organized  Christ's  Ev.  Lutheran  church  with 
twenty-four  charter  members,  in  the  home  of  Father  Joseph  Eber- 
hard,  now  known  as  Vineland,  in  Douglas  county,  located  nine  miles 


REV.    DAVID    EARHART'S   CHURCHES.  19 

south  of  Lawrence.  This  church  was  far  to  the  south  of  Monrovia 
with  a  whole  county  lying  between.  He  served  these  two  charges 
for  a  number  of  years.  In  1861  he  organized  another  church  of 
twenty  charter  members  at  Brush  creek,  in  Doniphan  county,  seven 
miles  from  Moray,  and  twenty  miles  from  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  and 
this  congregation  he  served  for  seven  years.  However  owing  to 
removals  it  went  to  pieces  before  the  organization  of  Kansas  Synod. 
As  early  as  1862  he  began  preaching  in  the  home  of  Osel  Nelson, 
a  loyal  Lutheran  living  in  Doniphan  county,  where  off  and  on  he 
held  services  for  a  number  of  years,  later  transferring  the  services 
to  the  Prairie  school  house,  where  on  the  24th  of  May,  1866,  he 
organized  a  Lutheran  church,  which  is  now  known  as  East  Norway, 
or  Moray.  Here  he  preached  until  1871.  While  preaching  here  he 
also  held  services  at  different  points  in  Brown  county,  just  west  of 
Doniphan  county.  Here  on  the  23d  of  December,  1866,  he  organ- 
ized a  church  of  fifteen  members,  which  he  served  until  1871.  This 
church  is  now  a  Norwegian  church  and  is  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

While  this  intrepid  pioneer  was  preaching  for  the  churches  in 
Doniphan  and  Brown  counties  adjoining  the  Nebraska  line,  he 
began  to  hold  services  in  the  city  of  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  and  after 
a  time  perfected  an  organization  with  twenty  members.  After 
preaching  there  two  years,  for  want  of  a  building  the  services  were 
transferred  to  a  school  house  in  the  country,  a  short  distance  from 
the  city.  This  was  a  grave  mistake,  as  the  attendance  fell  off  and 
the  services  finally  were  given  up  and  the  congregation  became  ex- 
tinct. 

The  territory  covered  by  this  undaunted  and  tireless  preacher  of 
the  Gospel  in  his  itineracy  over  Northeastern  Kansas,  is  such  as  to 
amaze  one  of  the  present  generation.  To  illustrate  this  one  need 
but  note  that  while  he  was  preaching  at  these  points  in  Doniphan, 
Brown  and  Atchison  counties,  the  three  Northeastern  counties  of 
the  state,  and  also  in  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  he  was  filling  a  contin- 
uous engagement  as  pastor  at  Vineland  in  Douglas  county,  and 
largely  from  1860  to  1868.  These  widely  separated  charges  com- 
pelled him  to  travel  from  these  northernmost  counties,  across  Atch- 
ison and  Jefferson  counties,  and  almost  across  Douglas  county  in 
order  to  reach  Vineland.  a  distance  as  the  crow  flies  of  almost  sev- 
enty miles,  and  taking  a  side  trip  via  Topeka  or  Stranger  creek  as 
he  now  and  then  did,  required  a  circuit  ride  of  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles,  and  this  he  did  for  a  long  time  every  three  weeks. 
These  trips  he  took  in  a  two  wheeled  springless  cart  drawn  by  a 
tough  wiry  pony.     Many  of  the  old  settlers  still    remember    this 


20  REV.   DAVID   EARHART. 

grand  pioneer  missionary,  whose  figure  became  quite  familiar  to 
the  settlers  enroute  as  he  made  his  weary  rounds.  In  fact  Father 
Earhart's  labors  from  1860  to  1873  were  full  of  severe  toil  which 
was  borne  cheerfully  for  the  Gospel's  sake.  Often  did  his  friends 
remonstrate  with  him  over  taking  such  long  drives  when  the 
weather  was  stormy,  but  the  courageous  missionary  would  reply, 
"When  I  get  there  it  will  be  fine  weather  and  the  service  will  then 


REV.   DAVID  EARHART.  REV.  J.  B.  MCAFEE. 

go  on."  In  order  to  fill  an  appointment  on  Sunday  he  would  usual- 
ly have  to  start  on  Friday  previous,  and  so  he  could  not  anticipate 
the  weather  at  the  end  of  his  journey.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  note  that 
such  labors  have  not  been  in  vain.  Churches  to  this  day  abide  to 
testify  to  the  value  of  his  efforts.  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  in  his  mem- 
oranda on  early  Lutheranism  in  Kansas  says,  "To  good  Brother 
Earhart  is  due  the  credit  of  re-organizing  on  a  strictly  Lutheran 
basis,  as  well  as  keep  together  the  early  Lutheran  churches  of  Kan- 
sas." In  the  Lutheran  Era  for  July  1893  the  same  writer  says, 
"Brother  Earhart  was  not  only  a  most  excellent  preacher  but  an 
indefatiguable  worker.  His  work  was  always  well  and  systemat- 
ically done  and  thoroughly  organized."  In  another  issue  of  the 
same  paper  he  again  writes,  "Although   Brother  Earhart  was  the 


REV.   DAVID   EARHART.  21 

second  Lutheran  minister  to  locate  permanently  in  Kansas,  he  was 
second  to  none  in  faithful,  efficient,  self-sacrificing  labors  for  the 
Master  and  His  church,  and  when  he  shall  cease  from  his  labors 
his  good  works  will  follow  him."  It  is  related  that  on  one  of  his 
long  weary  itinerant  trips  over  the  pathless  prairie  and  through 
deeply  wooded  valleys,  with  only  here  and  there  a  settler  along  the 
way,  he  took  seriously  ill,  and  tethering  his  horse,  lay  down  on  the 
prairie  and  for  a  time  was  unconscious.  Upon  coming  to  himself 
he  again  hitched  in  his  pony  and  strapping  himself  to  his  cart  let 
him  go  home,  where  after  a  long  ride,  loving  hands  helped  him  out 
and  cared  for  him  as  he  passed  through  a  hard  attack  of  billious 
fever.  For  a  number  of  years  Rev.  Earhart  was  one  of  the  regents 
of  the  Kansas  State  Agricultural  college  located  at  Manhattan,  dis- 
tant from  his  home  eighty  or  ninety  miles,  yet  he  was  one  of  the 
most  punctual  in  his  attendance  and  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties, 
and  in  those  early  days  of  no  railroads  he  was  compelled  to  travel 
by  horse-back  or  in  his  springless  gig.  Rev.  Earhart  also  preached 
at  Holton  in  Jackson  county,  Highlands  in  Doniphan  county,  Mc- 
Kelvy's  in  Jefferson  county,  and  at  the  home  of  Mr.  Ernest  and  Mrs. 
Collins  in  Atchison  county,  for  a  while,  but  the  work  did  not  seem 
to  justify  organizations.  In  1870  he  organized  a  church  on  Stran- 
ger creek  in  Atchison  county,  to  which  he  ministered  for  a  season 
and  which  came  into  Kansas  Synod  but  which  did  not  live  long 
owing  to  some  feuds  which  arose  among  the  members.  During 
these  years  of  severe  toil  this  pioneer  missionary  received  very 
small  compensation  for  his  services.  It  was  in  the  day  of  begin- 
nings, when  the  people  were  very  poor  and  he  was  not  backed  up 
by  mission  boards.  Aside  from  what  the  people  paid  him  he  re- 
ceived at  one  time  SI 00  from  Dr.  Passavant  in  1860-1,  and  $150 
per  year  from  the  old  Home  Mission  Society  during  1862-3.  Other 
than  this  he  supported  himself  in  a  way  by  tilling  the  soil,  when 
time  would  permit,  giving  him  a  scanty  support  for  his  family  of 
eight  souls. 

Before  speaking  of  the  organization  of  Kansas  Synod  it  will  be 
necessary  to  give  an  account  of  the  churches  and  pastors  entering 
into  its  organization,  of  which  as  yet  no  mention  has  been  made. 
At  this  early  day  the  missionary  interests  were  poorly  organized 
and  inadequately  supported.  The  society  known  as  the  "Home 
Mission  Society"  had  been  in  existence  since  1845,  but  as  yet  it 
was  a  society  separate  from  the  General  Synod,  and  not  officially 
under  its  direction,  and  most  of  the  district  synods  declined  to 
pledge  definite  support  for  it.     It  could  not  therefore  gather  much 


22  THE    HOME    MISSION    SOCIETY. 

money.  Indeed  most  of  the  district  synods  preferred  to  carry  on 
missionary  operations  of  their  own,  and  largely  on  their  own  terri- 
tory. In  1866  the  Home  Missionary  Society  was  re-organized  on 
a  new  basis  which  brought  it  in  a  nearer  relation  to  the  General 
Synod;  however  it  was  not  as  yet  the  child  of  the  latter  as  many 
synods  neglected  to  send  it  contributions.  It  was  not  until  1869 
that  the  Home  Mission  Society  was  merged  into  the  Board  of  Home 
Missions,  under  the  appointment  and  direction  of  the  General 
Synod. 

Although  hampered  by  its  loose  organization  the  old  society  was 
able  to  accomplish  much  good.  In  the  Fall  of  1864,  feeling  the 
need  of  someone  in  the  field  to  direct  its  work  in  founding  missions 
and  collecting  funds,  it  secured  Rev.  Morris  Officer,  late  returned 
Missionary  from  Liberia,  Africa,  as  its  field  secretary.  He  at  once 
took  up  the  work  and  throwing  into  it  his  whole  soul,  began  the 
canvass  of  the  field  with  an  activity  and  earnestness  rarely  equalled 
in  the  annals  of  missionary  work.  In  May  and  June  of  the  follow- 
ing year  he  came  to  Missouri,  and  spent  six  weeks  in  personally 
canvassing  St.  Louis.  Under  the  date  of  May  22,  1865,  in  the 
Lutheran  Observer  he  writes,  "A  great  deal  has  been  recently  said 
and  written  on  the  importance  and  necessity  of  planting  missions 
in  the  large  cities  of  the  great  West  .  .  .  but  our  experience 
has  taught  us  that  such  a  work  is  a  serious  undertaking  requiring 
years  of  the  most  efficient  and  faithful  labor  and  a  large  expendi- 
ture of  money."  Upon  his  first  glimpse  of  St.  Louis  he  writes, 
"About  noon  May  10th  I  stood  on  the  upper  deck  of  the  ferry  boat 
and  gazed  upon  the  great  city  stretching  several  miles  along  the 
opposite  bank  and  reflected  that  we  had  no  English  or  German 
church  in  the  city."  While  here  he  secured  a  pass  from  the 
"Pacific  Railway"  and  penetrated  the  west  almost  to  Kansas  City 
visiting  Sedalia  and  Pilot  Knob  in  the  hopes  of  finding  a  point  where 
he  might  establish  a  Lutheran  mission.  Returning  to  St.  Louis  he 
assiduously  sought  for  a  suitable  hall  where  he  might  open  ser- 
vices but  found  none. 

In  the  spring  of  1866  he  made  a  second  visit  to  St.  Louis,  but 
finding  an  epidemic  of  cholera  along  the  wharf  he  again  deferred 
action  and  took  his  way  to  points  further  west  including  St.  Joseph. 
In  August  he  again  went  west.  At  Tipton,  Missouri,  his  canvass 
resulted  in  his  finding  sixteen  Lutheran  people  willing  to  enter 
an  organization.  Not  having  a  man  at  hand  he  deferred  organiza- 
tion till  a  later  date.  At  Kansas  City  he  had  a  similar  experience. 
During  the  first  week  in  September  he  entered    Kansas,    visiting 


REV.  MORRIS  OFFICER  IN   KANSAS.  23 

Lawrence,  Topeka,  Atchison,  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  and  Grasshopper 
Falls.  At  the  latter  place  he  attended  the  Second  Conference  of 
Lutheran  ministers,  to  which  allustion  will  be  made  later.  Besides 
these  trips  he  made  several  other  journeys  riding  in  a  pony  rig. 
Dr.  Imhoff  in  his  "Life  of  Morris  Officer"  touches  on  this  trip,  ob- 
serving : 

"The  opportunity  and  importance  of  at  once  occupying  these  im- 
portant cities  so  exercised  his  earnest  soul  that  he  could  not  rest. 
He  would  betake  himself  to  prayer  and  letter  writing  until,  exhaust- 
ed, he  would  break  down.  He  wrote  letters  to  all  of  the  synods 
which  were  in  session  during  his  tour,  to  leading  men  in  the 
church,  and  to  such  pastors  as  he  deemed  eminently  qualified  to 
occupy  these  important  centers  of  growing  wealth  and  power.  .  . 
.  .  He  had  all  along  felt  the  necessity  of  having  good  and  suit- 
able men  in  the  missionary  charges.  But  now,  more  than  ever,  there 
was  an  imperative  demand  for  men  of  experience  and  large  influ- 
ence. ...  He  came  home  on  the  5th  of  October  all  alive  with 
interest  in  his  work.  Its  magnitude  had  opened  anew  his  mind  and 
baptized  him  with  fresh  zeal.  He  applied  himself  earnestly  to 
secure  services  of  men  who  had  been  successful  as  pastors  and 
were  known  in  the  church  at  large.  But  when  he  failed  here,  he 
went  to  the  theological  seminaries,  and  found  good  and  promising 
young  men,  but  they  were  untried,  unknown,  and  inexperienced, 
and  his  heart  sank  within  him.  He  knew  and  felt  that  the  most 
important  missions  in  western  cities  would  after  all  be  regarded  as 
experiments,  and  though  the  mission  and  missionary  might  be  well 
enough,  the  contributions  would  be  too  small  to  carry  on  the  work 
in  any  way  to  equal  the  demands." 

Pastor  after  pastor  refused  to  give  up  his  charge  and  go  west 
into  the  mission  field.  Could  these  have  read  the  journals  of  Offic- 
er they  would  hardly  but  feel  reproved  for  their  want  of  courage 
and  self  denial.  One  such  pastor,  located  in  a  fine  eastern  church, 
wrote  the  secretary  as  follows: 

"I  do  not  remember  that  I  informed  you  that  we  collected  in  my 
church  last  Fall  $143  for  one  of  the  missions  of  which  you  spoke. 
The  money  is  at  your  disposal.  .  .  .  The  difficulty  you  have 
in  getting  a  suitable  man  for  one  of  those  missions  in  Missouri  and 
Kansas  has  been  weighing  on  my  mind.  It  seems  to  me  that  the 
only  solution  is  that  some  of  us  young  men  cut  loose  and  go  there. 
I  feel  as  concerns  myself  in  this  way,  if  I  am  fit  for  this  kind  of 
work,  a  point  I  sometimes  question,  and  you  think  I  would  do,  I 
am  ready  to  go.  There  are  plenty  of  men  who  would  jump  at  the 
chance  of  getting  my  church  here.  They  pay  me  SI 800,  .  .  . 
If  no  one  else  will  go  into  the  breech,  why  then  some  of  us  easy 
berthed  fellows  must  lead  the  forlorn  hope.     I  am  ready  to  go." 

The  fact  remains  that  this  brother  did  not  go.  There  were  many 
like  him.  When  the  time  came  for  them  to  make  the  needed  sacri- 
fice., they  were  not  willing  to  make  it.     Then  the  rough  conditions 


24  A   RIPE   HARVEST   AND   FEW   LABORERS. 

in  Kansas  were  not  conducive  to  persuading  men  in  the  East  to 
come  into  the  new  state.  Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington,  writing  in  the 
Observer,  under  date  of  March  8,  1865,  says, 

"There  is  a  prevailing  idea  in  the  East,  that  the  people  of  this 
state  are  a  set  of  cut-throats  and  horse  thieves,  but  there  are  more 
good  citizens  here  than  we  have  credit  for.  That  there  are  bad 
men  here,  and  that  they  are  dealt  with  severely,  are  two  facts.  But 
the  severe  policy  adopted  is  rapidly  cleaning  out  the  hard  material. 
.  .  .  We  have  here  representatives  from  almost  every  Northern 
state  and  a  large  proportion  of  them  are  men  of  the  most  sturdy 
habits." 

The  compensation  at  that  time  in  the  mission  field  was  discour- 
aging. The  men  who  had  been  on  the  field  received  but  a  pittance 
for  their  labors.  If  in  those  times  of  beginnings  more  men  of  ex- 
perience had  taken  the  helm  and  been  backed  up  with  sufficient 
support  from  the  established  East,  Kansas  Synod  might  have  had 
a  much  better  start.  It  is  easy  to  see  how  the  lack  of  both  men 
and  means  confronted  this  earnest  Secretary,  enough  to  appall  the 
bravest  heart.  It  is  no  wonder  that  his  heart  ached  for  the  oppor- 
tunities which  were  passing  by  unimproved  because  the  frontier 
was  raw,  and  willing  men  and  adequate  means  were  lacking.  After 
many  rebuffs  and  refusals  among  the  eastern  established  pastors, 
Rev.  Officer  turned  to  the  theological  seminaries  and  naturally 
enough  looked  first  to  the  one  farthest  west,  Wittenberg.  Here  he 
found  two  young  men,  about  to  graduate  in  the  spring  of  1867,  will- 
ing to  listen  to  his  offers,  in  the  persons  of  Rev.  A.  W.  Wagenhals 
and  Rev.  E.  J.  Keplinger,  both  licentiates  of  the  Synod  of  Central 
Pennsylvania.  These  two  young  men  agreed  to  take  missions  in  the 
West  as  soon  as  the  term  closed. 

After  this  he  set  himself  to  the  task  of  securing  pledges  and  rais- 
ing money  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  two  or  three  extra  mis- 
sions. In  Baltimore  he  found  one  man  willing  to  give  $600  for 
the  support  of  a  missionary  in  Kansas  City.  In  some  places  he 
succeeded  in  persuading  a  single  congregation  to  undertake  the 
support  of  a  western  mission.  It  taxed  his  ingenuity  to  devise  ways 
and  means  and  success  began  to  come  as  a  result  of  his  concen- 
trated efforts.  In  February,  1867,  he  started  west  again  and  arrived 
in  St.  Louis  on  the  13th  and  spent  several  days  looking  up  people 
with  whom  he  had  been  keeping  in  close  touch  through  the  mails. 
Finding  conditions  there  not  ready  for  organization  he  proceeded 
to  Tipton  and  Versailles,  Mo.,  at  which  places  he  organized  church- 
es, comprising  a  pastoral  charge  with  churches  eighteen  miles 
apart.     Here  in  April  he  located  Rev.  E.  J.  Keplinger,  as  mission- 


REV.  MORRIS  OFFICER.  25 

ary.  From  Tipton  he  went  back  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  finally  ef- 
fected an  organization,  took  a  subscription  for  a  church  lot  and 
promised  them  $600  per  year  in  support  of  a  pastor  and  $1000  to- 
ward the  erection  of  a  chapel.  Early  in  March  he  arrived  in  Kansas 
City,  and  preached  in  the  Congregational  church  on  a  Sunday  morn- 
ing and  lectured  on  "African  Missions"  in  the  evening.  Here  he 
met  Rev.  Wagenhals,  and  a  service  was  arranged  for,  and  the  young 
missionary  preached,  a  sort  of  trial  sermon.  The  Secretary  gave 
him  the  hint  not  to  say  anything  about  slavery  or  the  late  Civil 
War,  as  the  people  were  sensitive  on  those  points.  The  committee 
who  heard  him  praised  his  discretion  telling  him  that  he  preached 
about  "love  and  did  not  refer  to  politics."  On  the  4th  of  April  they 
together  organized  a  church,  adopted  a  constiution,  elected  officers, 
and  cast  about  for  ways  and  means  for  the  purchase  of  a  church 
lot. 

During  this  time  Rev.  Officer  made  a  number  of  side  trips  to 
Lawrence,  and  Topeka,  Kansas,  where  he  canvassed  the  Scandi- 
navian population  finding  at  both  places  enough  people  to  justify 
the  organization  of  churches.  On  March  19th  he  organized  a  con- 
gregation at  Lawrence  of  twenty-seven  members.  In  his  Journal 
he  says,  "I  recorded  the  proceeding.  May  God  bless  this  infant." 
On  the  7th  of  April  he  organized  a  congregation  at  Topeka  of  fifteen 
members.  This  was  effected  in  the  office  of  the  Governor  of  the 
state,  as  the  Private  Secretary  of  the  Governor  at  that  time  was 
Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee.  He  promised  to  send  them  a  missionary  soon 
and  to  encourage  them  to  go  ahead  in  the  purchase  of  a  church 
site,  he  agreed  to  raise  for  them  $100  toward  the  lots  and  $2000 
toward  the  erection  of  a  building.  Rev.  A.  J.  Hesson,  a  young  man 
then  just  entering  the  ministry,  was  commissioned  as  missionary, 
taking  charge  in  August  following.  Ten  months  later  a  church  was 
erected  and  dedicated.  In  May  that  year  he  succeeded  in  complet- 
ing the  organization  at  St.  Louis,  in  the  home  of  Mr.  J.  A.  J. 
Schultz,  renewing  his  promise  to  them  of  $600  toward  the  support 
of  a  pastor  and  $1000  toward  the  erection  of  a  chapel.  In  October 
that  year  Rev.  S.  W.  Harkey,  D.  D.,  took  charge  as  missionary. 
The  skies  were  beginning  to  look  brighter.  The  Synod  of  Central 
Pennsylvania  agreed  to  look  after  Kansas  City,  Tipton,  and  Ver- 
sailles; West  Pennsylvania  Synod,  after  Topeka  and  Lawrence;  and 
Maryland  Synod  after  St.  Louis. 

Lutheranism  at  Atchison  was  being  fostered  with  jealous  care 
by  a  warm  hearted  layman,  Mr.  J.  H.  Talbott,  in  whom  a  strong 
love  burned  for  the  church  of  the  Reformation.     This  Brother  had 


26  THE  FIRST  CONFERENCE. 

sent  to  the  Home  Mission  Society  a  strong  request  for  a  mission- 
ary. Rev.  Officer  made  several  visits  to  Atchison  while  he  was  in 
Kansas  but  was  unable  to  secure  a  man  for  the  place.  However 
at  the  convention  of  the  General  Synod  at  Harrisburg  in  the  spring 
of  1868,  he  induced  Rev.  M.  G.  Boyer,  of  Marklesburg,  Pa.,  a  li- 
centiate of  Allegheny  Synod,  to  take  up  the  work  at  Atchison.  On 
the  30th  of  July  he  and  his  young  bride  landed  at  Atchison,  and 
after  holding  services  for  three  months  in  Price's  Hall,  he  organ- 
ized with  twenty-three  members.  This  was  the  last  church  organ- 
ized prior  to  the  organization  of  Kansas  Synod. 


EARLY  CONFERENCES. 

The  ministers  and  pastors  residing  in  Kansas  and  Western  Mis- 
souri retained  their  membership  in  various  Eastern  synods  as  this 
portion  of  the  country  was  not  regarded  as  being  on  the  territory 
of  any  particular  synod.  They  were  serving  congregations  which 
were  widely  separated,  and  it  was  very  natural  that  they  should 
hunger  for  that  mutual  fellowship  and  kindred  feeling  which  binds 
so  closely  together  the  ministers  of  a  synod.  Some  of  them  held 
their  membership  in  synods  a  thousand  miles  away  and  distance 
made  it  impossible  for  them  to  meet  with  their  brethren  at  the  an- 
nual conventions.  Now  and  then  they  would  meet  each  other  in  the 
exchange  of  pulpits  and  in  their  travels  over  the  field.  The  great 
need  of  a  closer  union  was  felt  on  every  hand.  Accordingly  a  few 
of  them  got  together  and  planned  a  conference  to  be  held  in  the 
newly  erected  church  at  Monrovia  at  the  occasion  of  its  dedication, 
and  published  a  call  for  the  same  in  the  Lutheran  Observer,  to  be 
held  on  the  26th  of  May,  1865,  and  all  Lutheran  ministers  in  Kan- 
sas, Nebraska  and  Missouri  were  invited  to  participate.  There 
were  present  at  this  conference,  Revs.  H.  W.  Kuhns  of  Omaha, 
Nebraska.,  J.  F.  Kuhlman,  of  Fontenelle,  Nebraska,  S.  P.  Harring- 
ton, the  local  pastor,  John  G.  Ellinger  of  Pardee,  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee, 
of  Topeka,  and  David  Earhart  of  Pardee.  Various  subjects 
kindred  to  the  pioneer  work  being  performed  by  these  brethren 
were  discussed,  and  a  general  good  time  was  had  by  all  present  as 
the  conference  afforded  a  very  agreeable  social  reunion  of  brethren 
not  often  accorded  such  a  privilege.     Rev.  Kuhns    preached    the 


THE  FIRST  CONFERENCE.  27 

dedicatory  sermon.  Of  the  occasion  Rev.  Harrington  wrote  in  the 
Observer,  "It  was  truly  a  solemn  meeting."  Rev.  Earhart  was 
chosen  President  and  Rev.  Kuhlman,  Secretary  of  the  conference. 

The  question  which  most  engaged  their  attention  was  how  to 
meet  the  demands  of  the  great  field  in  which  they,  a  hand-full, 
were  laboring.  They  resolved  to  appeal  to  the  East  for  help  and 
put  their  plea  in  a  set  of  resolutions.  They  also  placed  on  record 
a  desire  for  a  form  of  distinctive  Lutheran  worship.  The  advisa- 
bility of  organizing  a  synod  was  discussed  but  no  action  was  taken. 

The  trip  to  attend  this  conference  made  by  Revs.  Kuhns  and 
Kuhlman  possibly  surpasses  that  of  any  other  clergymen  in  the 
General  Synod  in  the  matter  of  miles,  travelled.  Rev.  Kuhlman 
left  his  home  in  Fontanelle  at  2  A.  M.,  of  May  22nd,  and  rode  in 
his  buggy  35  miles  to  Omaha.  There  hitching  his  pony  with  that 
of  Rev.  Kuhns  to  a  two  horse  buggy,  these  two  brethren  started  on 
their  long  trip  together.  Crossing  the  Missouri  at  Omaha  they  rode 
southward  through  southwestern  Iowa  and  into  Missouri.  Rev. 
Kuhlman's  diary  relates  that  they  spent  the  night  of  the  24th  at 
Oregon  City,  Mo.,  and  early  in  the  forenoon  of  the  25th  crossed  the 
Missouri  at  Iowa  Point  near  White  Cloud,  and  into  Kansas  at  its 
most  northeasterly  corner.  Here  they  took  dinner  with  a  contra- 
band negro,  and  after  crossing  Doniphan  county  and  a  part  of 
Atchison  county,  they  arrived  at  Monrovia  late  in  the  evening  after 
a  weary  ride  of  from  175  to  200  miles,  having  been  on  the  way  for 
three  days  and  a  half.  Dr.  Kuhns  oftimes  in  later  years  regaled 
his  friends  by  telling  them  extravagant  stories  of  this  memorable 
trip  to  a  conference,  over  swollen  streams,  across  pathless  prairies, 
and  among  the  scattered  but  hospitable  settlers. 

The  Lutheran  Observer  in  its  issue  for  August  10th  and  17th, 
1866,  contained  a  call  for  a  conference  to  meet  at  Monrovia,  at  2 
P.  M.,  September  6th,  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  propriety 
of  organizing  a  synod,  and  the  interests  of  the  Lutheran  church  in 
Kansas  generally."  The  call  was  signed  by  Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington, 
and  urged  all  to  be  present  with  their  lay  delegates.  Although  the 
call  made  Monrovia  the  place  of  meetings,  it  appears  that  the  con- 
ference was  really  held  at  Grasshopper  Falls,  the  other  church 
comprising  the  Monrovia  charge  of  which  Rev.  Harrington  was  then 
pastor.  There  were  present  Revs.  J.  G.  Ellinger,  S.  P.  Harrington, 
J.  B.  McAfee,  David  Earhart,  and  Morris  Officer  the  Secretary  of 
the  Home  Mission  Society,  besides  possibly  a  lay  delegate  or  two. 
They  thoroughly  discussed  the  advisability  of  organizing  a  synod 
covering  the  states  of  Kansas  and  Missouri.     They  felt  that  there 


28  THE    SECOND    CONFERENCE. 

were  churches  enough  on  the  field  to  justify  such  an  organization, 
and  Rev.  Officer  assured  them  that  it  was  the  intention  of  his  Board 
to  institute  movements  which  would  add  at  once  to  the  number. 
The  neighboring  synods  were  too  far  away,  the  nearest  being  that 
of  Iowa  to  the  northeast,  and  the  Illinois  Synods  beyond  the  Missis- 
sippi. While  there  was  unanimity  as  to  the  advisability  of  having 
a  new  synod,  it  was  not  altogether  so  when  the  basis  was  present- 
ed upon  which  the  new  synod  was  to  be  planted. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  this  conference  took  place  the  same 
year  that  some  district  synods  withdrew  from  the  General  Synod 
soon  after  its  convention  at  Fort  Wayne,  and  also  during  a  period 
in  which  the  church  papers  were  full  of  discussions  which  indicat- 
ed a  condition  of  decided  doctrinal  unrest,  it  is  not  surprising  that 
out  in  a  mission  field  the  brethren  should  be  influenced  by  these 
conditions.  The  fact  is,  nearly  all  the  ministers  present  were  in 
sympathy  with  that  portion  of  the  General  Synod  which  was  in- 
clined to  reject  a  part  of  certain  articles  of  the  Augsburg  Confes- 
sion which  had  been  under  fire  for  some  time  in  the  church  press. 
These  articles  were  mainly  those  in  which  the  Lutheran  church 
differed  from  the  so-called  Reformed  churches  with  which  it  was 
surrounded.  Many  in  it  had  been  yielding  to  the  pressure  of  the 
out-numbering  denominations  about  them.  The  "Definite  Synodical 
Platform"  had  been  before  the  church  for  ten  years  and  had  pretty 
thoroughly  leavened  the  West  with  its  doctrines.  Dr.  S.  S. 
Schmucker,  who  at  that  time  had  championed  the  "American  Re- 
cension of  the  Augsburg  Confession,"  (The  Definite  Platform) 
which,  while  not  adding  anything  to  the  Augustana,  was  very  de- 
sirous of  having  the  church  leave  out  certain  parts  of  it,  was  very 
popular  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  the  West.  The  unaltered  Augustana 
consequently  was  a  very  delicate  subject,  at  most,  with  many  of 
the  Kansas  ministers.  In  fact  a  number  of  the  churches  on  the 
territory  had  been  organized  without  any  direct  reference  to  the 
Augsburg  Confession  in  their  constitution.  Dr.  Schmucker  averred 
in  an  article  in  the  Observer  that  the  Definite  Platform  was  pre- 
pared for  our  western  churches.  In  its  preface  it  seems  the  west- 
ern ministers  are  held  more  or  less  responsible  for  its  formation, 
being  a  response  to  the  demands  of  the  times.  Many  of  the  western 
synods  narrowly  escaped  adopting  it.  In  1867  when  the  Synod  of 
Northern  Illinois  revised  its  constiution,  by  a  very  narrow  margin 
it  escaped  making  the  basis  a  conditional  acceptance  of  the  Augus- 
tana. When  in  1868  the  Wittenberg  Synod  revised  its  constitution, 
while  accepting  the  basis  of  the  General  Synod  with  a  very  small 


THE   "DEFINITE    PLATFORM"    SCHISM.  29 

majority  vote  and  after  a  long  and  spirited  debate,  it  immediately 
resolved,  that  "This  act  will  in  no  sense  disturb  our  cherished  posi- 
tion taken  in  years  that  are  past  on  the  "Definite  Synodical  Plat- 
form." The  obnoxious  portions  were  especially  Art.  X  on  "The  true 
presence  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  the  Sacrament  of  the 
Altar;"  Art.  XI  on  "Private  Confession  and  Absolution;"  Art. 
XXIV,  relative  to  the  "Ceremonies  of  the  Mass.;"  and  Art.  XXVIII, 
relative  to  the  "Divine  Obligation  of  the  Sabbath,"  and  those  parts 
of  Luther's  Catechism  which  teach  that  forgiveness  of  sin,  life  and 
salvation  are  conferred  through  the  sacraments,  and  some  other 
points. 

After  some  discussion  pro  and  con  it  was  evident  that  all  but 
Rev.  Earhart  were  agreed  to  organize  the  conference  into  a  Synod 
upon  the  basis  of  the  Definite  Synodical  Platform.  The  latter  con- 
tended that  the  unaltered  Augustana  was  the  only  proper  basis, 
that  the  Definite  Platform  was  new,  untried,  and  in  conflict  with 
the  doctrinal  history  of  the  Lutheran  church  since  its  foundation. 
Finally,  without  any  amendment  to  the  first  proposition,  Rev.  J.  B. 
McAfee  offered  the  following  resolution, 

"Resolved,  That  we  organize  ourselves  into  a  Synod  on  the  basis 
of  the  Definite  Synodical  Platform,  provided  Rev.  Earhart  will 
unite  with  us,  and  that  if  he  does  not,  we  do  not." 

Rev.  Earhart  declined  to  unite  on  the  basis  proposed,  and  the 
effort  failed.  It  may  seem  strange  that  one  man  should  defeat  the 
wish  of  the  others,  even  including  the  advice  of  the  missionary 
Secretary,  but  when  we  take  into  consideration  the  intense  mission- 
ary activity  of  Rev.  Earhart's  life  at  this  time  in  preaching  and 
founding  churches,  his  dogged  perseverance  where  others  had 
given  up  the  fight,  as  well  as  his  all  absorbing  earnestness  and  posi- 
tive Lutheran  character,  there  is  not  much  occasion  for  surprise  at 
the  decided  deference  paid  to  his  convictions.  In  fact  a  very  large 
percentage  of  the  churches  which  would  be  expected  to  enter  the 
new  synod  had  been  founded  by  him.  At  most  it  was  a  very  nar- 
row escape  for  Kansas  synod. 


30  THE  ORGANIZATION  OF  KANSAS  SYNOD. 

THE    ORGANIZATION    OF    KANSAS 
SYNOD. 

During  the  following  two  years  no  efforts  were  made  either  to- 
ward holding  a  conference  or  organizing  a  synod.  With  the  start- 
ing of  churches  at  Kansas  City,  Lawrence,  Tipton,  Versailles,  Atch- 
ison, St.  Louis,  and  Topeka,  the  existing  churches  on  the  territory 
were  so  manifestly  strengthened  that  the  necessity  of  a  Synod  be- 
came imperative.  Accordingly  there  was  published  in  the  Lutheran 
Observer  for  October  23,  1868,  signed  by  S.  P.  Harrington,  the  fol- 
lowing call  for  a  convention: 

"There  will  be  a  meeting  of  Lutheran  ministers  of  Kansas  and 
Missouri,  (D.  V.)  at  Topeka  commencing  on  the  1st  Thursday  even- 
ing of  November  (5th)  1868,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  synod. 
All  Lutheran  ministers  and  their  lay  delegates,  who  will  unequivo- 
cally endorse  the  doctrinal  basis  of  the  General  Synod,  are  invited 
to  participate  in  the  convention. 

By  order  of  the  majority  of  the  ministers  in  Kansas  and  Mis- 
souri.   Dated  September  9th,  1868." 

This  convention  met  according  to  the  call,  in  the  newly  erected 
church  on  Topeka  Ave.,  in  said  city,  of  which  Rev.  A.  J.  Hesson 
was  pastor.  The  following  ministers  and  laymen  were  present  and 
participated  in  the  organization:  Revs.  J.  B.  McAfee,  Topeka,  S.  P. 
Harrington,  Monrovia,  A.  W.  "Wagenhals,  Kansas  City,  A.  J.  Hes- 
son, Topeka,  E.  J.  Keplinger,  Tipton,  M.  G.  Boyer,  Atchison,  and 
Messrs  A.  P.  Benson,  Topeka,  J.  G.  Schmucker,  Lawrence,  G.  W. 
Householder,  Kansas  City,  J.  H.  Stover,  Tipton,  and  G.  W.  Crotzer, 
Grasshopper  Falls. 

The  convention  was  opened  with  earnest  prayer  that  they  might 
be  adequately  guided  in  their  efforts  to  lay  well  the  foundations  of 
Lutheranism  in  the  first  synod  to  be  organized  west  of  the  Missouri 
river.  They  were  liberal  minded  men,  filled  with  a  warm  love  for 
the  church  of  the  Fatherland.  They  had  no  sympathy  with  dead 
formalism  on  the  one  hand,  nor  were  they  willing  to  be  led  by  an 
ignorant  fanaticism  which  ignored  orthodxy,  on  the  other.  The 
publicity  given  to  these  extremes  in  the  church  press  of  the  day 
had  rather  broadened  their  views,  and  they  were  ready  now  to  enter 
upon  the  organization  of  a  synod,  the  basis  of  which  was  to  be  that 
upon  which  all  other  synods  connected  with  the  General  Synod 
stood,  viz.,  the  unaltered  Augustana  and  Luther's  Small  Catechism. 
Prayer  meetings,  Sunday  schools,  and  catechetical  classes  were  to 


THE  ORGANIZATION  OF  KANSAS  SYNOD.  31 

be  encouraged  as  specific  methods  through  which  the  development 
of  the  church  was  to  be  effected. 

The  absence  of  Rev.  D.  Earhart  was  deplored  by  all  present,  as  it 
eliminated  from  the  organization  one  of  the  most  active  and  influ- 
ential men  in  the  previous  history  of  the  church  in  Kansas,  as  well 
as  the  churches  which  he  represented.  After  his  experience  in  the 
former  effort  to  organize  a  synod,  and  his  being  at  this  time  in 
connection  with  the  General  Council,  and  the  new  synod  to  be 
without  doubt  General  Synod  in  kind,  and  at  this  time  there  not 
being  very  cordial  relations  between  these  two  synods  owing  to  the 
recent  withdrawal  of  General  Council  church  from  the  General 
Synod,  he  felt  somewhat  delicate  about  coming  to  this  convention, 
unless  he  should  be  specifically  invited  by  some  of  the  more  influ- 
ential men  on  the  field,  and  he  so  informed  them.  After  the  organ- 
ization a  fraternal  letter  was  sent  him  in  which  his  absence  was 
regretted,  and  it  was  stated  that  the  printed  notice  in  the  Observer 
was  the  only  invitation  issued  to  any  one,  and  that  no  slight  was 
intended,  and  that  if  he  felt  he  could  unite  upon  the  basis  adopted, 
they  would  be  glad  to  have  him  do  so,  and  that  the  Secretary  of 
the  Synod  was  empowered  to  enroll  his  name.  This  overture  was 
accepted  and  at  the  second  convention  of  the  Synod  Rev.  Earhart 
was  present,  and  united  with  the  Synod.  Letters  of  regret  for 
absence  were  received  from  Rev.  F.  R.  Scherer  of  Waterville,  and 
Rev.  S.  W.  Harkey,  of  St.  Louis,  both  of  whom  hailed  with  joy  the 
organization  of  a  new  synod  and  promised  their  warm  prayers  and 
co-operation. 

Both  the  minutes  of  the  first  convention  and  other  early  data 
preserved  in  the  historical  archives,  all  of  which  was  very  limited, 
fail  to  name  the  churches  which  formally  entered  into  the  new  or- 
ganization. It  is  impossible  at  this  time  to  make  out'  a  roll  of 
churches  and  in  fact  the  writer  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  organizers 
did  not  give  that  matter  much  thought.  From  incidental  data  and 
interviews  with  members  still  living,  we  subjoin  a  roll  which  com- 
prises most  likely  the  ones  who  are  entitled  to  the  honor  of  being 
charter  members. 


32 


DOCTRINAL    BASIS. 


Pastor. 

Churches. 

Lay  Delegate. 

Address. 

John  G.  Ellinger, 
J.  B.  McAfee, 
S.  P.  Harrington, 

No  Charge, 
No  Charge, 
St.  Paul's 
Ev.  Lutheran, 
1st  Lutheran, 
1st  Lutheran, 
Ev.  Lutheran, 
Ev.  Lutheran, 
Ev.  Lutheran, 
Ev.  Lutheran, 

Pardee,  Kan. 

Topeka,  Kan. 
Monrovia,  Kan. 

A.  W.  Wagenhals, 
A.  J.  Hesson, 

E.  J.  Keplinger, 

M.  G.  Boyer, 

G.  W.  Crotzer, 
G  W  Householder, 
A.  P.  Benson, 
J.  G.  Schmucker, 
John  H.  Stover, 

Grasshopper  Falls. 
Kansas  City,  Mo. 
Topeka,  Kan. 
Lawrence,  Kan. 
Versailles,  Mo. 
Tipton,  Mo. 
Atchison,  Kan. 

Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee  was  chosen  temporary  chairman  and  Rev.  E. 
J.  Keplinger,  secretary  in  the  preliminary  organization.  The  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  adopted: 

Whereas,  The  time  has  come  when  the  wants  of  the  Lutheran 
church  in  the  states  of  Kansas  and  Missouri  demand  that  there 
should  be  some  efficient  agency  within  these  states,  which  shall 
more  successfully  look  after  and  promote  the  varied  interests  of 
our  western  Zion,  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we  as  a  convention  proceed  to  organize  a  new 
synod,  and  that  a  committee  of  three  clerical  and  two  lay  members 
be  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution  for  said  synod  and  report." 

This  latter  duty  devolved  upon  Revs.  Wagenhals,  Hesson  and 
Ellinger  and  Messrs  Schmucker  and  Crotzer.  At  the  second  ses- 
sion the  following  resolution  on  the  doctrinal  basis  of  the  new 
synod  was  unanimously  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  this  synod  declare  its  doctrinal  position  to  be  that 
of  the  General  Synod  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  in  the 
United  States  of  America,  receiving  and  holding  with  the  Evangel- 
ical church  of  our  Fathers,  the  Word  of  God  as  contained  in  the 
canonical  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  as  the  only 
infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  the  Augsburg  Confession 
as  a  correct  exhibition  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Divine 
Word,  and  of  the  faith  of  the  church  founded  on  that  Word,  and  on 
this  basis  desires  a  constitution  to  be  formed. 

Owing  to  the  need  of  more  time  in  which  to  prepare  a  constitu- 
tion the  committee  recommended  that  the  entire  constitution  of  the 
Eastern  Pennsylvania  Synod  be  temporarily  adopted,  making  such 
changes  as  might  be  necessary  in  transferring  the  location  from 
Pennsylvania  to  Kansas.  This  recommendation  was  adopted,  and 
Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington  was  chosen  permanent  president  and  Rev. 
E.  J.  Keplinger,  secretary,  and  Rev.  A.  W.  Wagenhals,  treasurer. 
Among  the  items  of  business  disposed  of  at  this  convention  was  an 


33 


REV.   M.  G.   BOYER,   D.   D.  MR.   A.   W.   WAGNALLS,   LITT.   D. 


REV.   A.   J.    HESSON. 

SOME   CHARTER  MEMBERS. 


REV.   S.    P.    HARRINGTON. 


34 


MR.   A.    P.    BENSON. 


MR.   G.    W.    HOUSEHOLDER. 


REV.    E.    J.    KEPLINGER.  MR.    J.    G.    SCHUMCKER. 

SOME   CHARTER   MEMBERS. 


THE  FIRST  SYNOD.  35 

expression  of  sympathy  with  those  who  were  seeking  to  establish 
Mendota  (Illinois)  college  and  a  regret  of  their  inability  to  furnish 
any  financial  aid  owing  to  their  imperative  needs  at  home.  In  or- 
der to  promote  the  cause  of  home  missions  more  fully  the  Synod 
organized  itself  into  a  Home  Mission  Society,  in  which  every  mem- 
ber was  to  consider  it  his  duty  "to  canvass  as  much  of  the  un- 
occupied territory  as  possible,  to  seek  out  scattered  Lutherans, 
look  out  for  important  fields,  and  report  interesting  facts  as  they 
may  develop."  A  standing  Executive  Committee  was  appointed, 
and  a  resolution  adopted  asking  that  a  day  of  prayer  be  appointed 
in  which  the  church  in  the  East  should  be  asked  to  remember  the 
missions  and  missionaries  of  the  West.  Rev.  M.  G.  Boyer,  a  licen- 
tiate of  the  Allegheny  synod  was  set  apart  to  the  Gospel  ministry 
in  a  very  impressive  service  on  Sunday  evening  at  the  close  of  the 
convention.  A  simple  form  for  parochial  reports  was  adopted,  al- 
though no  reports  were  submitted  at  this  synod.  The  total  member- 
ship aside  from  the  churches  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Ear- 
hart  were  as  follows:  Topeka,  20,  Monrovia,  104,  Grasshopper 
Falls,  30,  Kansas  City,  20,  Lawrence,  27,  Tipton,  20,  Versailles  15, 
Atchison,  25,  total  261.  It  was  indeed  a  day  of  small  beginnings 
and  humble  enough.  Feeling  the  need  of  another  meeting  soon, 
the  synod  adjourned  to  meet  six  months  later,  the  first  Tuesday  in 
April  of  the  following  Spring,  at  Atchison. 

At  a  subsequent  convention  Rev.  Earhart  brought  his  congrega- 
tions into  the  synod  which  at  that  time  embraced  a  congregation  at 
Vinland,  one  at  Osawkee,  one  at  East  Norway  (Moray)  and  prob- 
able one  other  of  which  the  records  are  very  uncertain.  For  sev- 
eral years  following  the  organization  of  Kansas  synod  it  was  all 
the  Home  Mission  Board  could  do  to  take  care  of  the  missions 
planted  by  Rev.  Officer.  In  the  following  spring  a  church  was  or- 
ganized at  Waterville  by  Rev.  F.  R.  Scherer,  and  no  other  was  or- 
ganized for  the  following  five  years  save  one  by  Rev.  Earhart, 
Christ's,  at  Stranger  creek.  Although  a  number  of  Lutheran 
clergymen  came  to  Kansas  during  this  time  they  were  rather  in- 
clined to  pre-empt  land,  or  speculate  in  land,  than  preach  the  Gos- 
pel. Rev.  Hesson  in  his  report  as  President  of  Synod  in  1870  said, 
"I  cannot  help  but  deeply  and  sadly  regret  that  so  many  able  and 
acceptable  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  within  the  bounds  of  our  synod 
are  content  to  remain  idle,  while  around  them  the  harvest  of  the 
Lord  is  perishing  for  the  want  of  laborers."  Now  and  then  one  of 
these  ministers  feeling  that  he  was  missing  his  calling  by  devoting 
his  time  to  secular  affairs  would  attempt  to  combine  farming  with 


36  PREACHER  OR  FARMER. 

preaching  the  gospel  and  sought  to  organize  a  church  near  his 
farm.  His  compensation  from  his  church  usually  was  very  meager, 
probably  all  that  it  was  worth,  considering  the  pastors  divided  in- 
terests, but  the  results  from  these  attempts  were  so  small  that  in 
after  years  when  the  Mission  Board  took  hold  of  extending  the 
church  on  this  territory  it  made  it  a  rule  not  to  grant  help  to  a  mis- 
sionary who  tried  to  farm  and  also  preach  the  Gospel.  The  story 
of  the  further  development  of  the  church  in  Kansas  Synod  will  be 
found  under  the  chapters  relating  to  the  Travelling  Missionaries 
and  the  general  church  Secretaries. 


A     PERIOD    OF    EXPANSION—TRAVEL- 
LING SYNODICAL  SECRETARIES. 

Early  in  the  seventies  the  work  of  planting  and  maintaining  our 
church  in  Kansas  became  quite  critical.  The  frequent  drouths  and 
consequent  crop  failures  had  thoroughly  disheartened  the  faithful 
working  force  in  the  field,  and  the  indifferent  ones  allowed  the 
cause  completely  to  languish.  Pastors,  in  order  to  provide  for  their 
families,  were  obliged  to  supplement  their,  sacred  calling  with  sec- 
ular work.  In  1874  only  three  pastors  devoted  themselves  exclu- 
sively to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  Rev.  Reuben  Weiser  that  year 
writing  to  the  Observer  said,  "Our  church  in  Kansas  is  not  making 
any  progress,  it  seems  rather  going  backwards.  The  causes  of  this 
retrogression  are  in  the  fact  that  there  is  not  one  self-sustaining 
charge  in  the  state,  and  the  pastors  receive  so  small  support  that 
they  are  all,  I  believe,  without  a  single  exception,  obliged  to  labor 
with  their  own  hands  to  support  their  families."  About  this  time 
the  various  denominations  in  the  East  began  to  pour  men  and 
money  into  Kansas  for  the  planting  of  churches  of  their  respective 
faiths.  Our  pastors  with  sorrow  beheld  our  people  taken  into  these 
denominations  and  forever  lost  to  the  Lutheran  church.  They  real- 
ized too  that  the  early  planting  of  the  church  in  the  crude  and 
rapidly  building  towns  meant  strong  and  influential  churches  when 
these  towns  became  cities,  but  their  hands  were  tied.  They  had 
neither  men  nor  money,  with  which  to  go  in  and  reap  the  harvest. 
The  influx  of  immigration  at  this  time  was  quite  extensive,  such  as 
had  rarely  been  witnessed  in  the  settlement  of  any  state  previous 


THE  CRY  FOR   ENLARGEMENT.  37 

to  that  time.  The  Union  Pacific  and  Santa  Fe  railroads  began  dis- 
posing of  their  government  land  grants  to  foreign  and  domestic 
immigrants,  and  thousands  of  families  poured  into  the  new  state 
and  among  these  were  many  Lutherans.  The  problem  of  adequate- 
ly caring  for  this  heritage  was  too  great  for  a  struggling  synod 
which  spread  over  the  entire  82,0000  square  miles  of  the  state.  Up 
to  1875  Kansas  Synod  had  but  twenty  organized  churches,  with 
fifteen  un-organized  preaching  points.  The  cry  of  enlargement 
was  heard  at  every  convention  of  synod,  but  it  was  a  despairing 
cry,  because  the  country  was  new,  the  expense  of  living  high,  the 
people  poor,  crop  failures  common,  men  willing  to  make  the  need- 
ed sacrifices  very  few  indeed,  and  thus  every  disposition  to  ad- 
vance was  checked  by  lack  of  means.  After  considerable  agitation 
the  synod  began  to  declare  itself  on  the  matter.  The  first  occurred 
in  1873,  when  the  following  resolutions  were  adopted: 

Whereas,  The  territory  of  our  synod  has  suffered  greatly  already 
from  the  lack  of  missionary  effort,  by  the  members  of  the  Lutheran 
church  in  different  portions  of  the  state  uniting  with  sister  churches, 
or  becoming  utterly  indifferent  to  all  church  relation,  and, 

Whereas,  The  history  of  our  church  in  the  past  proves  the  vast 
benefit  derived  from  the  efforts  of  travelling  missionaries,  and  in- 
asmuch as  other  influential  and  powerful  denominations  by  the  use 
of  such  missionaries  have  met  with  the  most  encouraging  success 
upon  our  territory;  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  as  a  synod,  convinced  of  our  neglect  and  conse- 
quent loss  in  the  past,  we  feel  this  important  means  can  be  dis- 
pensed with  no  longer;  that  we  instruct  the  ministers  within  our 
bounds  to  devote  at  least  one  Sabbath  in  each  quarter  to  mission- 
ary effort  at  the  most  important  points  within  their  reach;  that  we 
appoint  one  travelling  missionary,  whose  duty  shall  be  to  visit  cer- 
tain points  at  least  once  in  three  months;  that  we  respectfully  ask 
our  Board  of  Home  Missions  to  appropriate  funds  for  the  support 
of  our  travelling  missionary,  and  that  we  will  aid  them  to  the 
utmost  in  raising  funds  for  the  same. 

Following  up  this  action  one  of  their  own  number  was  appointed 
Travelling  Missionary,  but  owing  to  lack  of  funds  he  was  not  able 
to  accomplish  much.  At  the  following  convention  of  synod,  and  in 
the  presence  of  Rev.  J.  W.  Goodlin,  the  Secretary  of  the  Home 
Mission  Board,  the  subject  was  quite  thoroughly  discussed.  It  was 
then  discovered  that  the  rules  of  the  Home  Mission  Board  would 
not  allow  the  appointment  of  district  travelling  missionaries.  The 
convention  then  resolved  to  memorialize  the  next  General  Synod 
to  pass  such  a  rule  as  to  empower  the  Home  Board  to  take  favor- 
able action  on  their  requests.  This  memorial  was  duly  presented 
but  the  General  Synod  failed  to  take  favorable  action  on  adopting 


38  REV.   S.    P.    HARRINGTON,  COMMISSIONED.  x 

such  a  rule  but  referred  the  matter  to  their  Home  Board  and  the 
latter  declared  they  were  ready  to  occupy  Kansas  points  as  soon 
as  men  and  means  were  available. 

The  President  of  Kansas  synod  in  his  report  for  1876  said,  "We 
must  have  in  each  synod  in  the  West  a  Superintendent  of  missions 

.  .  .  who  will  give  his  entire  time  to  looking  after  our  vacant 
churches  and  promising  points,  who  will  be  supported  in  part  by 
our  Board  of  Home  Missions."  At  the  same  convention  the  Kansas 
Advisory  Board  was  directed  to  employ  a  suitable  person  for  the 
ensuing  year  to  serve  as  a  Synodical  Missionary  at  a  salary  of 
$800,  raising  the  salary  as  largely  as  possible  on  the  field  of  his 
operations,  the  synod  assuming  the  deficiency.  His  duties  were  to 
visit  destitute  points,  vacant  congregations,  and  churches  needing 
encouragement,  preach  the  Gospel,  organize  churches,  assist  in 
supplying  vacancies  with  pastors,  and  to  report  to  the  President 
once  a  month. 

On  the  9th  of  August,  Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington  was  commissioned 
as  Travelling  Missionary  serving  for  six  months.  While  he  was 
reported  as  meeting  with  "marked  success,"  yet  owing  to  the  lack 
of  funds  the  commission  was  recalled.  He  reported  as  having  visit- 
ed 35  points,  travelled  2581  miles,  preached  78  sermons,  supplied 
two  vacancies,  made  collections  on  the  field  of  $191,  and  incurred 
travelling  expenses  in  the  sum  of  $48,  the  Santa  Fe  railroad  giving 
him  free  transportation.  During  this  time  he  also  organized  Mt. 
Zion  church  at  Dillon  and  Ebenezer  church  in  Liberty  township, 
both  churches  being  in  the  southern  part  of  Dickinson  county,  of 
which  he  became  pastor  upon  relinquishing  his  office.  The  actual 
results  of  this  effort  were  meager  indeed,  but  what  could  be  ex- 
pected with  so  little  actual  support  aside  from  the  man  himself. 
It  was  like  sending  a  laborer  into  the  forest  to  get  material  out  for 
a  mill,  without  axe,  or  saw,  or  team.  The  synod  was  not  ready  to 
back  up  the  measure  with  men  or  money. 

The  General  Synod  at  its  1877  convention  authorized  the  Board 
of  Home  Missions  to  appoint  travelling  missionaries  in  the  West 
whenever  it  deemed  it  practicable,  but  the  Board  for  lack  of  funds 
to  follow  up  such  an  effort  did  not  see  its  way  clear  to  do  so.  How- 
ever the  failure  spurred  up  the  friends  of  the  measure  and  a  "Joint 
Home  Mission  Convention"  representing  the  synods  of  Iowa,  Kan- 
sas and  Nebraska,  was  called  to  be  held  in  Kansas  City  on  the  4th 
of  December,  1877.  This  convention  was  held  although  for  lack 
of  proper  advertising  it  was  very  slimly  attended.  Rev.  W.  A.  Lipe 
was  chosen  the  President,  and   Rev.  T.  F.   Dornblaser,  Secretary. 


SECOND   WESTERN    MISSIONARY   CONVENTION.  39 

The  subjects  discussed  were,  "The  Field,"  "Course  and  Character 
of  Immigration,"  "Ratio  of  Increase  in  Population,"  "Best  Methods 
of  Cultivating  the  Field,"  "Ministerial,  Lay,  and  Financial  Help," 
"Peculiarities  and  Difficulties  of  the  Work,"  "Christian  Culture," 
and  "Our  Work  Among  the  Germans  and  Scandinavians."  No 
definite  action  was  taken  excepting  to  call  a  "Great  Western  Home 
Mission  Convention"  to  be  held  at  Omaha,  May  13-15,  1878,  and 
to  which  prominent  men  from  the  East  were  to  be  invited,  that  they 
might  see  the  immense  field  for  themselves. 

This  latter  convention  was  a  decided  success,  over  fifty  delegates 
being  present.  Many  of  the  most  prominent  men  of  the  church 
were  there  taking  part  in  the  discussion,  such  as  Rev.  J.  W.  Good- 
lin,  Secretary  of  the  Home  Mission  and  Church  Extension  Boards, 
Drs.  F.  W.  Conrad,  H.  Ziegler,  L.  E.  Albert,  S.  A.  Ort,  J.  G.  Butler, 
J.  H.  W.  Stuckenberg,  L.  A.  Gotwald  and  Samuel  Aughey,  and  Pro- 
fessors H.  L.  Baugher,  J.  W.  Richards,  and  F.  W.  E.  Peschau.  Pas- 
tors were  present  from  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Iowa,  Illinois,  Indiana, 
Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Pennsylvania.  From  Kansas  synod  there 
were  present  Revs.,  A.  A.  Trimper,  D.  Harbaugh,  A.  J.  Kissell,  S.  P. 
Harrington,  L.  C.  Grosclose,  J.  G.  Groenmiller,  Charles  Martin, 
and  C.  F.  Kaesmann.  Secretary  Goodlin  gave  the  opening  address 
on  the  subject  of  the  convention,  viz.,  "The  Development  of  the 
Home  Mission  Field  in  the  West."  Papers  were  read  on  "The 
Claim  of  Home  Missions,"  "Lutheran  Immigration  in  the  West," 
"Cities  and  Centers  of  Influence,"  "The  Germans  and  Scandinav- 
ians," "The  West  and  Her  Institutions,"  and  "The  Cultivation  of 
the  Field."  The  main  question  around  which  all  discussion  cen- 
tered was  the  advisability  of  appointing  travelling  home  mission- 
aries in  the  western  synods.  The  resolutions  adopted  touched  upon 
the  numerous  difficulties  in  establishing  the  church  in  the  West  and 
the  firm  belief  that  these  could  be  surmounted;  upon  the  claim  of 
this  field  being  of  the  highest  importance  to  every  member  bearing 
the  Lutheran  name,  commending  it  to  the  East,  the  church  press, 
the  pulpits,  and  the  Boards.  As  to  the  wisdom  of  appointing  travel- 
ling missionaries,  the  following  action  was  taken. 

Resolved,  1.  That  as  the  sense  of  this  convention,  the  Board  of 
Home  Missions  be  respectfully  requested  to  appoint  a  travelling 
missionary  for  each  of  the  states  of  Iowa,  Kansas,  and  Nebraska. 

Resolved,  2.  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  devise  a  plan  to 
be  laid  before  the  Board  of  Home  Missions  by  which  these  mission- 
aries can  be  successfully  put  in  the  three  fields  and  sustained. 

Resolved,  3.  That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  convention  that  in  order 
to  accomplish  only  a  small  part  of  the  missionary  work,  the  im- 


40 


REV.   T.    F.    DORNBLASER   TRAVELLING   MISSIONARY. 


mediate  wants  of  the  West  demand  that  at  least  $50,000  should  be 
raised  for  Home  Missions  each  year. 

This  convention  greatly  encouraged  the  western  synods,  and  none 
more  than  the  Kansas  synod,  which  followed  up  the  advantage  thus 
gained  by  pressing  their  claims  upon  the  General  Synod.  At  its 
fall  convention  Kansas  synod  pledged  itself  for  $400  toward  the 
salary  of  a  travelling  misisonary,  and  requested  the  Home  Board 
to  pay  the  balance,  and  appoint  the  missionary  who  was  to  be  un- 
der the  direction  of  the  Board.  However  the  Board  had  no  funds 
with  which  to  supplement  the  offer  of  Kansas  synod,  but  it  recom- 
mended that  this  work  be  taken  up  by  some  eastern  synods.    The 

Maryland  and  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania synods  responded,  offer- 
ing to  add  $600  to  the  $400  of 
Kansas  synod.  This  resulted  in 
the  appointment  of  Rev.  T.  F. 
Dornblaser,  as  Travelling  Mis- 
sionary for  Kansas  synod,  the 
Board  offering  to  pay  his  travel- 
ling expenses  besides,  and  the 
commission  dated  from  Decem- 
ber 1,  1878. 

The  missionary  entered  upon 
his  duties  with  marked  enthus- 
iasm. His  instructions  required 
him  to  visit  and  canvass  towns 
and  communities,  with  a  view 
of  ascertaining  the  number 
of  Lutherans  and  the  char- 
acter of  the  material  that  could  be  reached  by  our  church, 
to  organize  the  members  collected  into  congregations,  to  visit  and 
preach  to  those  organized,  and  to  secure  through  the  assistance  of 
the  Board  a  pastor  when  needed,  and  to  render  monthly  reports 
of  his  operations,  and  see  that  every  church  organized  was  planted 
upon  the  basis  of  the  General  Synod,  adopting  the  Formula  for  the 
Government  and  Discipline  of  the  church. 

During  the  first  year,  1879,  the  missionary  organized  congrega- 
tions at  Halstead  in  Harvey  county,  State  Center  and  Pride  in  Bar- 
ton county,  Lone  Tree  in  Ellsworth  county,  Delight  in  Lincoln 
county,  Americus  in  Lyon  county,  and  in  1880  in  Pleasant  Valley 
in  Dickinson  county,  and  Lincoln  Center  in  Lincoln  county.  These 
all  were  what  was  called  in  those  days,  "school-house"  churches. 


REV.    T.    F.    DORNBLASER^    D.    D. 


THE    HOME    BOARD   GIVES    IT    UP.  41 

Their  history  constitute  a  dark  side  of  missionary  effort.  After  be- 
ing admitted  into  synod  and  served  intermittently  by  a  pastor  or 
supply,  one  by  one  they  disintegrated  until  nothing  was  left  of 
them.  The  Missionary  devoted  his  attention  to  Atchison,  Valley 
Falls,  Monrovia,  Ottawa,  Eureka,  Waterville,  Peabody,  Topeka, 
etc.  At  the  last  named  place  he  spent  three  months  in  trying  to 
revive  the  work  started  by  Rev.  A.  J.  Hesson,  which  had  been  pas- 
torless  for  eight  years.  The  church  was  practically  dead,  and  only 
awaited  a  decent  burial.  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  Hon.  Lewis  P.  Fiery, 
and  Elias  Shull,  Esq.,  rallied  to  his  support.  Nineteen  names  were 
signed  to  an  application  to  the  Board  to  re-undertake  the  work 
after  eight  years  of  hopeless  abandonment.  McAfee  and  Fiery 
came  to  the  synod  that  fall  and  asked  that  the  Travelling  Mission- 
ary be  assigned  to  Topeka  as  missionary  pastor.  The  inability  or 
neglect  of  Kansas  Synod  to  promptly  pay  its  part  of  the  expenses 
of  maintaining  this  secretary  in  the  field  led  the  two  Eastern  synods 
to  decline  to  grant  help  for  a  third  year.  The  Home  Board  accord- 
ingly notified  Kansas  synod  that  the  commission  would  not  be  re- 
newed. The  Advisory  Board  feeling  that  the  work  was  too  import- 
ant to  drop  asked  the  newly  organized  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign 
Misisonary  Society  to  contribute  $250,  which  it  did,  and  Rev.  Dorn- 
blaser  continued  his  work  until  the  end  of  the  synodical  year,  Octo- 
ber, 1880.  At  this  convention  Kansas  synod  pledged  $369  to  keep 
a  Synodical  Missionary  in  the  field.  Rev.  J.  H.  Harpster  was  elect- 
ed to  the  position,  but  he  declined  the  office  and  no  other  one  was 
chosen.  In  the  meantime  the  Home  Mission  Board  created  the 
office  of  Western  Secretary  and  placed  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz  in  the 
field,  which  so  thoroughly  satisfied  Kansas  synod  that  the  matter  of 
an  individual  missionary  was  promptly  dropped.  Rev.  Barnitz  was 
warmly  welcomed  in  the  West  as  a  co-laborer,  and  for  twenty-one 
years  thereafter,  he  labored  most  successfully  in  planting  the 
church  through  the  great  Middle  West. 

For  a  period  of  six  years  the  question  of  a  Synodical  Missionary 
was  permitted  to  rest.  However,  in  1887,  the  subject  was  again 
agitated,  and  the  Advisory  Board  was  authorized  to  employ  district 
missionaries  just  as  soon  as  money  could  be  provided  and  men  se- 
cured, and  demanded  that  the  Home  Board  co-operate.  But  noth- 
ing was  done.  In  1889  the  synod  again  took  up  the  matter  and  de- 
cided to  go  ahead  and  act  independently.  A  Board  of  seven  men 
was  appointed  consisting  of  Revs.  G.  D.  Gotwald,  T.  F.  Dornblaser, 
F.  M.  Porch,  J.  M.  Cromer,  W.  M.  Sparr,  and  Messrs  A.  E.  Wagner 
and  C.  H.  Lebold.     This  Board  at  a  meeting  held  in  April,  1890, 


42  RESULTS. 

appointed  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser  as  Synodical  Missionary  at  a  salary 
of  $100  per  month  and  travelling  expenses.  He  began  his  work  on 
the  1st  of  June,  and  continued  it  until  the  21st  of  October.  The  in- 
come was  quite  precarious,  and  besides  many  of  the  pastors  felt 
that  this  work  could  be  done  by  the  Western  Secretaries  of  the 
Home  Mission  and  Church  Extension  Boards.  Owing  to  division 
in  opinion  and  lack  of  support  the  special  board  decided  to  dissolve 
and  the  movement  came  to  an  end. 

When  one  attempts  to  get  some  tangible  evidence  of  the  ultimate 
successful  results  of  the  labors  of  the  Synodical  Missionary  dur- 
ing the  succession  of  efforts  he  finds  it  quite  difficult  to  obtain  it. 
From  the  standpoint  of  real  organizations  of  congregations  it  must 
be  considered  a  failure.  Besides  the  congregations  specified  here- 
tofore, the  synodical  minutes  indicate  two  others  as  having  been 
effected  by  the  Travelling  Missionary,  one  at  Pontiac,  in  Butler 
county,  and  one  at  Garnett,  in  Anderson  county.  Of  these  eight  or 
ten  congregations  none  are  in  existence  at  present  excepting  that 
at  Garnett.  The  causes  of  this  failure  cannot  altogether  be  laid 
at  the  feet  of  the  missionary.  Many  of  these  organizations  were 
at  points  where  there  were  not  many  Lutheran  families,  and  where 
a  little  moving  away  would  greatly  affect  the  prosperity  of  the 
church.  Had  more  of  them  been  in  populous  centers  instead  of  at 
country  cross  roads  the  result  might  have  been  different.  Then  in 
these  early  days  the  railroads  often  made  and  unmade  towns  by 
organizing  towns  on  their  lines  with  no  regard  to  existing  towns, 
with  the  result  that  the  people  moved  their  small  houses  miles  over 
the  prairie  to  the  new  site  leaving  the  old  one  to  languish  and  die. 
Then  the  Home  Mission  Board  did  not  always  come  to  the  help  of 
the  new  organization.  The  drouths  against  which  no  missionary 
could  guard,  drove  thousands  back  to  their  old  Eastern  homes. 
Besides  the  Kansas  churches  were  so  weak  and  ofttimes  down  un- 
der the  distress  of  a  drouth  that  they  could  offer  but  little  help. 
However  the  Travelling  Missionary  was  a  God-send  to  the  weak 
and  vacant  churches  which  he  visited  and  encouraged  and  fostered, 
tiding  them  over  critical  periods  until  they  were  again  on  firm 
ground.  Then  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  some  of  the  efforts 
were  more  or  less  spasmodic  and  uncertain,  and  consequently 
short-lived.  Such  efforts  in  the  very  nature  of  things  could  not 
be  permanent.  Viewing  it  as  a  whole,  we  are  satisfied  were  it  not 
for  the  frequent  crop-failures  which  brought  untold  suffering  and 
extreme  poverty  on  the  people,  the  results  would  have  measured 
up  with  those  which  have  been  made  in  our  Eastern  synods  where 
similar  movements  prevailed. 


KANSAS    HOME   MISSIONS   AND   WESTERN    SECRETARIES.  43 

KANSAS     HOME    MISSIONS    AND    THE 
WESTERN  SECRETARIES. 

The  planting  of  our  church  in  this  great  state,  in  its  very  incep- 
tion, was  made  possible  by  aid  from  the  old  Home  Mission  Society. 
There  are  only  two  or  three  churches  in  the  Synod  which  have  not 
received  aid  from  one  or  another  of  our  mission  boards.  The  first 
missionary  to  be  commissioned  on  the  territory  of  Kansas  Synod 
was  Rev.  David  Earhart  located  at  Monrovia,  and  who  preached  at 
several  other  points,  who  received  in  1862-4  the  sum  of  $150  per 
year.  Although  this  indefatigable  worker  labored  in  Kansas  for 
nearly  twenty  years,  other  than  this,  he  never  received  aid  from  the 
mission  boards.  Rev.  Earhart  was  followed  at  Monrovia  by  Rev. 
S.  P.  Harrington,  who  received  help  during  1864-5-6  of  about  $150 
per  year.  In  the  fall  of  1864  Rev.  Morris  Officer  became  Secretary 
of  the  newly  re-organized  Home  Mission  Society.  He  was  the  first 
Lutheran  missionary  officer  to  penetrate  the  West,  which  he  did  that 
year,  coming  as  far  as  Sedalia,  Missouri,  and  in  so  doing  he  saw 
its  great  opportunity  and  was  thrilled  by  it.  In  1866  he  came  again 
this  time  visiting  St.  Louis,  Tipton,  and  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and 
Lawrence,  Topeka,  Monrovia,  Atchison,  and  Grasshopper  Falls, 
Kansas.  During  this  visit  he  carefully  examined  these  points  with 
the  view  of  stationing  missionaries  in  them  as  soon  as  he  could 
raise  the  money  and  get  the  men,  for  in  that  day  of  beginnings  the 
Secretary  had  to  expend  a  great  deal  of  personal  energy  to  get 
either  men  or  money.  In  1867  he  had  been  successful  enough  in 
raising  funds  that  he  felt  the  time  was  ripe  for  organizing.  That 
year  he  made  a  trip  westward  organizing  churches  through  his  per- 
sonal efforts  at  St.  Louis,  Tipton,  Versailles  and  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri, and  at  Lawrence  and  Topeka,  Kansas.  This  was  all  done 
after  he  had  personally  made  tedious  house-to-house  canvasses. 
At  Topeka  and  Lawrence  he  located  as  missionary  Rev.  A.  J.  Hes- 
son;  at  Kansas  City,  Rev.  A.  W.  Wagenhals;  at  Tipton  and  Ver- 
sailles, Rev.  E.  J.  Keplinger;  and  at  St.  Louis,  Rev.  S.  W.  Harkey. 
During  the  ensuing  year  he  located  at  Atchison  Rev.  M.  G.  Boyer 
as  pastor.  All  of  these  points  as  yet  were  in  territory  which  had 
no  synodical  connection  until  the  organization  of  Kansas  Synod  in 
November,  1868.  The  particular  work  he  did  for  these  churches 
is  described  in  their  local  history  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 


44  REV.   MORRIS  OFFICER,  FIRST  SECRETARY. 

The  influence  of  these  visits  in  the  great  and  growing  West  set 
his  earnest  soul  on  fire.  The  opportunity  and  importance  of  oc- 
cupying these  promising  centers  so  occupied  his  mind  that  he  could 
not  rest.  The  expense  of  maintaining  men  in  these  new  fields,  and 
of  giving  necessary  and  adequate  help  in  erecting  church  homes, 
laid  upon  him  a  responsibility  which  greatly  tried  him.  He  had 
personally  pledged  himself  to  raise  among  his  friends  and  the 
synods  in  the  East  several  thousand  dollars,  a  task  in  those  early 
days  not  easily  accomplished.  This  struggle  is  graphically  de- 
scribed in  Dr.  Imhoff's  Life  of  Morris  Officer.  To  bring  it  about 
he  would  set  himself  to  prayer  and  letter-writing  until  compelled 
to  rest  from  utter  exhaustion.  Even  while  he  rode  over  the  coun- 
try his  versatile  pen  was  busy  laying  these  western  mission  fields 
upon  the  hearts  of  synods  in  the  East.  He  obtained  specific  pledges 
from  synods  for  individual  churches.  Then  after  he  had  the  money 
question  settled  he  found  it  difficult  to  obtain  competent  men  for 
the  work.  Able  men  located  in  comfortable  charges  in  the  East 
shrank  from  going  into  mission  work  in  the  West  and  at  the  same 
time  taking  a  reduced  salary  with  an  element  of  uncertainty  in  it, 
and  at  a  distance  of  a  thousand  miles  from  home  at  that.  After 
several  failures  he  concluded  that  he  must  take  young  men,  who 
as  yet  had  not  been  located.  So  he  went  to  the  theological  semin- 
aries using  his  eloquence  in  persuading  young  men  there  to  enter 
the  mission  field.  The  West  had  a  bright  side  and  he  was  not  slow 
in  presenting  it.  By  dint  of  hard  work,  such  as  possibly  will  not 
be  fully  understood  or  appreciated,  he  not  only  secured  the  men 
but  raised  the  money  for  their  sustenance. 

When  the  present  Board  of  Home  Missions  was  organized  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  in  1869,  taking  over  the  assets  and  liabilities  of 
the  old  Home  Mission  Society,  Rev.  Officer  became  its  General 
Secretary,  and  at  the  same  time  assumed  the  secretaryship  of  the 
then  very  young  and  as  yet  inefficient  Board  of  Church  Extension. 
Now  he  felt  he  was  backed  up  by  the  General  Synod.  Before  this 
his  backing  was  a  society  which  had  no  official  connection  with  the 
General  Synod,  save  as  a  missionary  organization  within  it,  sup- 
ported by  some  of  its  leading  spirits,  but  to  which  it  was  not  pledged 
for  any  definite  work  or  funds.  In  mid-summer  that  year  he  again 
visited  Kansas  Synod  missions  counselling  with  the  members  and 
seeking  to  promote  the  interests  of  these  new  organizations,  and 
in  mid-winter  he  again  came  West,  travelling  on  free  transportation 
furnished  him  by  the  Missouri  and  Union  Pacific  railroads,  and  this 
latter  time  he  penetrated  further  west,  touching  Emporia,  Abilene, 


DEATH    OF    OFFICER. 


45 


Salina,  Junction  City  and  other  points,  impressing  every  one  with 
whom  he  came  into  contact  with  the  work  which  lay  so  warmly 
upon  his  heart.  During  this  trip  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Ottawa 
county  through  Dr.  J.  E.  Tressler,  of  Peabody.  Becoming  discour- 
aged owing  to  poor  health  and  doctrinal  unrest,  he  resigned  his 
office  in  June,  1871,  and  immediately  started  for  Kansas  with  his 
family  to  live  on  his  farm,  thinking  he  could  support  them  easier 
as  a  farmer  and  at  the  same  time  recuperate  his  shattered  health. 
In  October  that  year  he  left  the  Lutheran  church  and  united  with  the 
Congregationalists,  serving  for  them  several  unimportant  congre- 
gations. His  health  continuing  to  fail  him,  and  bereaved  of  two 
of  his  children,  he  removed  to  Topeka  where  he  died  November  1, 
1871.    On  the  day  of  his  funeral  Rev.  J.  W.  Goodlin,  his  successor 


— h 

i^L 

\       1 

.,_           . , 

REV.   J.   W.   GOODLAND,   D.    D. 


REV.   MORRIS   OFFICER. 


in  office,  happened,  providentially  it  would  seem,  to  stop  off  in 
Topeka,  and  hearing  of  the  death  and  funeral,  attended,  and  was 
invited  to  speak,  and  gave  to  the  deceased  such  a  tribute  as  only 
a  Lutheran  could  give  him. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Goodlin,  the  new  Secretary  of  the  Boards  did  not  give 
Kansas  the  attention  that  Rev.  Officer  did,  in  personal  visits.  In 
1871    Grasshopper  Falls  and   Randolph    (Swedish)    received    help 


46 


REV.   S.    B.    BARNITZ    WESTERN    SECRETARY. 


from  the  Home  Board  and  Lawrence  received  a  loan  of  $1500.  In 
1873  missionaries  were  located  at  Salina,  Waterville,  Bunker  Hill, 
Abilene,  and  Grantford  (Swedish).  During  the  following  bi-en- 
nium  no  new  missions  were  taken  by  the  Home  Board  although  the 
Church  Extension  Board  loaned  $2,045  to  the  Kansas  City  mission. 
During  1876-7  no  new  missions  were  located;  however  in  1878-9 
Eureka,  Dillon,  and  Hays  City  were  given  help,  and  in  1880-1 
Greenleaf  and  Atchison  were  enrolled  as  missions.  During  this 
latter  biennium  the  Church  Extension  Board  donated  $4,500  to 
Salina  and  $150  to  Hays  City,  and  loaned  $200  to  Bunker  Hill. 
The  General  Secretary  did  not  make  any  visits  to  Kansas  that  bi- 
ennium depending  possibly  on  the  travelling  missionaries  of  Kansas 
Synod  to  do  the  work. 

The  fall  of  1881  opens  a  new  era  of  missionary  activity  in  the 
West,  owing  largely  to  a  change  of  policy  in  the  management  of 
missionary  work.  For  some  time  it  had  become  the  settled  con- 
viction upon  the  part  of  the  Home  Board  that  one  secretary  in 
charge  of  the  entire  Western  District  would  subserve  the  interests 
of  western  missions  as  a  whole  better  than  a  number  of  synodical 
travelling  missionaries.     In  harmony  with  this  idea  Rev.  Samuel  B. 


REV.  L.   P.   LUDDEN,  D.  D. 


REV.  S.   B.   BARNITZ,  D.   D. 


REVS.   BARNITZ  AND   LENKER.  47 

Barnitz  was  placed  in  the  field  as  Western  Secretary  of  Home  Mis- 
sions with  headquarters  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  At  the  same  time 
some  definite  rules  were  adopted  which  declared  that  no  support 
would  be  given  a  country  congregation  which  could  possibly  be  or- 
ganized into  a  self-sustaining  charge  by  combination  with  other 
congregations,  or  to  a  pastor  who  operated  a  farm  in  connection 
with  his  church. 

During  1882-3  new  missions  were  organized  at  Peabody  and  Ells- 
worth, and  the  Church  Extension  Board  gave  donations  to  Green- 
leaf  of  $78,  and  raised  its  donation  to  Salina  through  the  personal 
efforts  of  Rev.  Hartsock  to  $6,500,  and  loans  were  made  of  $300 
to  Peabody,  $500  to  Hays  City,  $200  to  Bunker  Hill,  $300  to  Green- 
leaf,  and  $400  to  Eureka,  the  last  named  loan  being  however  re- 
turned unused,  as  the  church  at  Eureka  successfully  raised  all  the 
money  they  needed  on  the  day  the  church  was  dedicated.  At  this 
time  the  latter  Board  adopted  the  rule  that  no  donation  should  ex- 
ceed $500,  and  no  donation  should  be  given  to  a  church  costing 
over  $5,000,  and  that  no  loans  should  exceed  $5,000. 

In  the  fall  of  1883  the  secretaryship  of  the  two  boards  was  sep- 
arated. Rev.  Jacob  A.  Clutz  was  chosen  General  $ecretary  of  the 
Home  Board  and  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz,  Western  Secretary,  and  Rev. 
J.  W.  Richards,  was  made  General  Secretary  of  the  Church  Exten- 
sion Board.  In  July,  1886,  Rev.  J.  N.  Lenker  became  the  Western 
Representative  of  the  latter  Board.  This  arrangement  placed  two 
men  in  the  Western  field,  and  Revs.  Barnitz  and  Lenker  set  them- 
selves to  the  task  with  most  commendable  zeal,  and  together  they 
soon  began  to  see  good  fruits  from  their  efforts.  Rev.  Barnitz  was 
very  active  in  promoting  the  work  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska.  He 
carefully  informed  himself  as  to  the  needs  and  prospects  of  every 
mission  on  the  territory,  and  did  this  by  visiting  the  missions, 
preaching  in  their  churches,  and  visiting  in  their  homes.  He  trav- 
eled the  state  north  and  south  and  east  and  west  many  times  over 
until  he  was  without  doubt  as  fully  familiar  with  his  territory  as 
ever  was  a  home  mission  secretary.  Not  only  did  he  know  the  men 
as  pastors,  but  he  widely  became  acquainted  with  the  lay  member- 
ship, and  by  letter  and  otherwise  kept  himself  in  constant  touch 
with  the  missions  themselves.  His  work  may  be  regarded  as  most 
successful. 

Rev.  Lenker,  the  Western  Representative  of  the  Church  Exten- 
sion Board  conceived  the  idea  of  the  purchase  of  church  lots  in 
all  the  new  towns  in  the  West  in  which  Lutheran  families  could 
be  found  and  deeding  them  to  his  Board  for  future  use.     In  this 


48  LOANS   AND   DONATIONS. 

he  was  encouraged,  and  throwing  his  whole  soul  into  the  effort  he 
succeeded  in  purchasing  many  lots  in  Kansas  towns  which  were 
largely  paid  for  by  Lutherans  residing  there  through  the  the  assist- 
ance of  Mr.  Lenker,  costing  the  Board  only  a  trifle.  During  the 
Biennium  of  1886-7  he  secured  seventy-five  such  lots,  aided  in 
starting  six  new  churches,  two  parsonages,  and  in  raising  funds 
for  them  and  turning  over  to  his  Board  property  valued  at  $8,000. 
So  he  did  year  after  year,  his  work  largely  covering  Kansas  and 
Nebraska.  Just  how  much  of  this  was  strictly  upon  Kansas  Synod- 
ical  territory  we  cannot  determine.  This  will  however  give  the 
scope  of  his  work.  The  results,  as  we  sum  them  up  today  are  not 
so  roseate.  At  the  time  the  plan  seemed  really  very  feasible,  but 
experience  proves  that  the  investment  was  not  very  profitable.  Most 
of  the  lots  were  never  built  upon.  Some  were  located  in  boomed 
towns,  and  others  were  not  favorably  situated  when  the  time  came 
for  the  erection  of  the  church,  and  a  great  many  are  located  in 
towns  in  which  there  is  no  open  door  for  our  church.  Really  there 
are  only  two  or  three  Kansas  churches  built  upon  these  lots.  How- 
ever the  work  of  Secretary  Lenker  cannot  be  judged  from  the  suc- 
cess or  failure  of  the  church  lot  enterprise.  He  proved  himself  very 
valuable  in  raising  church  debts,  serving  weak  churches,  and  in 
other  ways.  Among  other  church  missionary  officers  the  President 
of  the  Board  Rev.  Chas.  S.  Albert  came  to  Kansas  a  number  of 
times.  He  with  Secretaries  Barnitz  and  Clutz  composed  a  trio 
which  soon  became  known  as  the  "A  B  C"  of  Home  Missions. 

During  the  Biennium  of  1884-5  new  missions  were  opened  at 
Ottawa,  Emporia,  Denver,  and  Kansas  City  (The  Children's  Mem- 
orial), and  loans  were  made  to  the  Memorial  of  $875,  to  Topeka 
of  $5,000,  and  a  donation  to  the  Memorial  of  Kansas  City  of  $2,125, 
and  to  Topeka  of  $200.  During  1886-7  Banner  City  and  Valley 
Falls  became  missions  and  loans  were  made  to  Denver  of  $5,000, 
Minneapolis  of  $300,  Emporia  of  $3,000,  Long  Island  of  $300,  and 
Valley  Falls  of  $500.  Donations  were  made  to  the  Memorial  of 
Kansas  City  of  $1,400;  Denver,  $7,262;  Minneapolis,  $60;  Emporia, 
$504;  and  Ottawa,  $74.  During  1888-9  Hutchinson,  Leavenworth, 
Minneapolis,  Wellington,  Perth,  and  Portland  were  enrolled  as  new 
missions.  Loans  were  made  to  Kanapolis,  of  $50;  Valley  Falls, 
$500;  Oberlin,  $300;  Perth,  $300;  Ellsworth,  $400;  Norway,  $200; 
Norcatur,  $300;  Manchester,  $300;  Atchison,  $1,000;  Wellington, 
$500;  and  donations  to  Perth,  $200;  Ellsworth,  $200;  Manchester, 
$100;  Kanapolis,  $100;  Memorial  of  Kansas  City,  $411;  Emporia, 
$190;   Oberlin,  $319;   Perth,  $10;   Ellsworth,  $20;   and    Atchison, 


LOANS   AND   DONATIONS 


49 


$25.  During  1890-1  new  missions  were  established  at  Manchester, 
Garnett,  Washington,  and  Wichita,  and  loans  were  made  to  St. 
James  church,  Dickinson  county,  $300;  Oberlin,  $500;  Chapman, 
$300;  Hutchinson,  $1,000;  and  donations  were  made  to  Effingham, 
$250;  and  Topeka,  $400;  and  small  sums  under  one-  hundred  dol- 
lars to  Emporia,  Norcatur,  Ellsworth  and  Hutchinson.  During 
1892-3  Norcatur  was  given  aid  and  loans  were  made  to  Garnett, 
$800;  Kansas  City  Memorial,  $3,000;  Valley  Falls,  $200;  Wichita, 
$2,000;  Leavenworth,  $1,000;  and  donations  were  made  to  Garnett, 
$325;  Kansas  City  Memorial,  $60;  Leavenworth,  $225;  and  Well- 
ington, $439.  During  1894-5  Chapman  and  St.  Joseph  were  en- 
rolled, and  loans  were  made  to  Hutchinson,  $500;  St.  Joseph, 
$3,000;  and  donations,  to  Wichita,  $300;  Hutchinson,  $300;  and 
Ottawa,  $300.  During,  1896-7  Beloit  and  Sedalia  were  given  help 
and  loans  were  made  to  Sedalia  of  $3,000  and  a  donation  of  $100. 
During  1898-9  Jerico  was  the  only  new  mission.  In  1900-1  no  new 
missions  were  undertaken  and  loans  were  made  in  small  sums  to 
Thomas,  Kansas;  First  church,  Kansas  City;  and  donations,  largely 
in  settlements,  to  Lawrence,  Russell  and  Wellington.  During 
1902-3  Perth  was  again  enrolled  as  a  mission  and  new  missions 


REV.  J.  N.  LENKER,  D.  D. 


REV.  H.  L.  YARGER,  D.  D. 


50 


LOANS   AND   DONATIONS. 


were  opened  at  Oklahoma  City,  Okla.,  and  Kansas  City,  Kansas. 
Loans  were  made  to  the  last  named  points  and  donations  largely 
in  settlements  to  Eureka,  Russell,  Barnes,  Hays,  Emporia,  Hutchin- 
son, Kansas  City  First,  and  straight  loans  to  Kansas  City,  Kansas 
and  Oklahoma  City.  During  1904-5  no  new  points  were  opened. 
Loans  were  made  to  Kansas  City,  First,  $3,000;  Kansas  City, 
Grace,  $300;  and  Kansas  City,  Kansas,  loan  and  donation  of 
$1,740.  Donations  were  made  to  Russell,  Ottawa,  $100;  Hays, 
$250;  Emporia,  $125,  and  Oklahoma  City  loan  and  donation  $1,270. 
The  present  secretaries  operating  in  Kansas  $ynod  are  Rev.  H. 
L.  Yarger,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  L.  P.  Ludden,  D.  D.  Dr.  Yarger  succeed- 
ed Rev.  J.  N.  Lenker,  January  1,  1895,  and  for  twelve  years  he  has 
shown  himself  a  very  efficient  and  intelligent  worker.  He  has  re- 
sided on  the  territory  of  Kansas  $ynod  all  this  time  and  has  super- 
vised the  later  operations  of  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  in  this 
$ynod.  Dr.  Ludden  succeeded  the  late  Dr.  Barnitz,  in  February, 
1903,  with  headquarters  at  Lincoln,  Nebr.,  and  is  at  present  in 
charge  of  all  home  missionary  developments  on  this  territory. 


$od  houses  and  sod  churches  were  not  uncommon  in  the  early 
days  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska.  The  above  engraving  is  from  a 
photo  of  a  sod  Lutheran  church  in  Nebraska. 


HISTORY   OF  ORGANIZATIONS.  51 


HISTORY   OF  ORGANIZATIONS. 

It  has  been  quite  a  difficult  task  to  definitely  locate  a  number  of 
the  early  churches,  especially  the  "school  house"  organizations. 
The  early  minutes  of  the  Synod  do  not  name  or  locate  the  various 
congregations  of  a  pastoral  charge  in  the  parochial  reports.  Quite 
often  simply  the  name  of  the  pastor  is  given,  omitting  even  his 
residence,  and  a  figure  to  indicate  the  number  of  congregations 
he  served,  but  no  separate  statistics  relative  to  the  individual 
churches  of  his  parish  or  the  precise  location  of  the  same.  Some 
of  these  school  house  churches  shifted  from  one  school  district  to 
another,  and  went  by  the  name  of  the  school  house  for  the  time 
being,  so  that  in  the  course  of  a  number  of  years  two  and  even 
three  names  become  attached  to  the  same  congregation,  and  these 
finally  find  place  in  the  minutes,  which  in  turn  led  the  historian  a 
merry  chase  in  his  work  with  the  possible  danger  of  his  making 
the  mistake  of  entering  more  organizations  than  really  existed. 
Then  in  the  early  minutes  a  school  house  church  would  be  aban- 
doned and  the  only  reference  to  the  fact  would  be  a  numeral,  less 
by  one  unit,  but  nothing  to  show  which  of  the  various  congrega- 
tions of  the  charge  had  disbanded.  The  sketches  of  the  pastorates 
following  were  written  from  data  largely  furnished  by  the  pastor- 
ate. The  information  from  some  charges  being  much  fuller  than 
others.  Errors  will  be  found  doubtless  in  these  sketches  because 
statements  oft-times  were  furnished  from  memory  rather  than  from 
recorded  data.  Owing  to  the  limits  of  this  volume  they  have  had 
to  be  necessarily  condensed  to  simply  an  outline  history  with  no 
room  for  the  recording  of  the  many  struggles  necessary  in  the 
founding  of  some  of  the  organizations. 


ABILENE,  TRINITY. 

"It  is  now  thirty-four  years  since  I  was  at  Abilene,"  writes  Rev. 
W.  E.  Crebs,  our  first  pastor  there,  in  response  to  our  request  for 
early  reminiscences.  "It  had  just  been  located  as  the  county-seat 
of  Dickinson  county.  Up  to  that  time  it  had  been  the  shipping 
point  of  the  great  Texas  cattle  trade.  Here  the  cowboys  were  in 
great  evidence  and  especially  when  they  were  paid  off.  Then  usual- 
ly followed  a  couple  weeks  of  revelry  ending  generally  in  debauch. 


52 


TRINITY   CHURCH,   ABILENE. 


They  were  hundreds  of  miles  from  home  and  free  from  all  restraints 
as  there  were  no  civil  officers  to  look  after  them  of  whom  they  were 
afraid.  It  required  more  than  ordinary  prudence  to  be  safe  among 
them  and  murder  was  a  common  occurrence.  There  was  but  one 
church  building  in  the  place,  a  union  chapel.  It  was  common  fish- 
ing ground,  and  the  man  with  the  longest  line  or  the  strongest  net 
and  most  skilled  in  the  casting,  would  make  the  biggest  haul." 


TRINITY   CHURCH,    (OLD   BUILDING.) 


PARSONAGE,  ABILENE. 


After  making  a  canvass  of  the  place  Rev.  Crebs  effected  an  or- 
ganization on  the  22nd  of  October  1870.  A  constitution  according 
to  the  Formula  of  the  General  Synod  was  adopted,  and  officers 
elected.  The  church  was  named  "The  First  English  Lutheran 
church  of  Abilene."  This  name  was  retained  until  February  18th, 
1879,  when  the  church  was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the 
state  as  "Trinity  Lutheran  Church."  The  charter  members  were 
the  following:  J.  M.  Shepherd,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  H.  Lebold,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  W.  H.  Eicholtz,  Mrs.  W.  E.  Crebs,  J.  E.  Tressler,  M.  D., 


TRINITY   CHURCH,   ABILENE.  53 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  L.  Nixon,  G.  Strome,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  Johntz,  and 
M.  Senn.  The  first  Church  Council  was  composed  of  J.  M.  Shep- 
herd and  J.  Johntz,  elders;  C.  H.  Lebold  and  J.  E.  Tressler,  dea- 
cons; and  W.  H.  Eicholtz,  W.  L.  Nixon,  and  M.  Senn,  trustees. 
The  church  was  placed  on  the  roll  of  Kansas  Synod  in  the  Fall  of 
1871.  At  the  first  congregational  meeting  Mr.  J.  Augustine  was 
chosen  president  and  Mr.  C.  H.  Lebold,  secretary.  At  this  meeting 
a  building  committee  was  appointed  and  instructed  to  "proceed  at 
once  to  the  erection  of  a  parsonage  and  to  secure  funds  to  erect 
a  church  the  following  summer."  Lots  were  donated  for  both  the 
church  building  and  parsonage  by  Messrs  Lebold  and  Augustine, 
and  by  the  middle  of  the  following  year  the  parsonage  was  com- 
plete. This  was  erected  on  a  lot  immediately  west  of  the  present 
church  building.  For  the  first  year  and  half  services  were  held 
in  the  old  Baptist  church,  then  in  the  old  Metropolitan  Hall,  a 
building  destroyed  by  fire  since  then.  Here  the  congregation  reg- 
ularly worshipped  until  they  entered  the  new  church  building.  The 
Board  of  Home  Missions  at  first  granted  the  church  aid  to  the  ex- 
tent of  $300  a  year  and  this  was  diminished  year  by  year  until  1878 
when  the  church  became  self  sustaining. 

Rev.  Crebs  was  followed  by  Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington  in  August, 
1871,  who  served  the  church  nearly  five  years.  From  September, 
1876,  to  April  of  the  following  year,  Rev.  W.  H.  Lilly  was  pastor. 
In  September,  1877,  Rev.  A.  J.  Kissell  took  charge.  It  was  at  this 
time  the  congregation  began  to  grow  and  assume  permanent  estab- 
lishment. Self  support  was  one  of  the  first  positive  moves  under 
the  new  pastor.  Plans  were  next  adopted  for  the  erection  of  a 
church  building.  These  called  for  a  brick  building  40  by  60  feet. 
The  building  was  dedicated  August  18,  1878,  Rev.  Joshua  Crouse, 
D.  D.,  preaching  the  sermon,  assisted  by  a  number  of  Lutheran 
brethren  from  neighboring  places.  The  building  cost  with  furnish- 
ings $5,500  having  after  dedication  some  indebtedness;  however 
no  assistance  was  received  from  the  Church  Extension  Society. 
This  debt  was  carried  until  1883  when  it  was  entirely  wiped  out, 
though  to  do  it  required  the  selling  of  the  parsonage. 

Prior  to  the  time  the  church  entered  into  its  own  building  it  unit- 
ed with  the  Methodist  and  Presbyterians  in  conducting  a  union  Sun- 
day school.  In  1878  it  organized  its  own  school,  and  this,  owing 
to  the  good  fortune  of  capable  leadership,  has  been  a  great  factor 
in  the  efficiency  of  the  church  and  its  growth.  On  the  16th  of  June, 
1880,  a  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  or- 
ganized, the  earliest  among  our  Lutheran  churches  in  Kansas  save 


54 


TRINITY    CHURCH,   ABILENE. 


those  at  the  Waterville  and  the  Hebron  churches  of  the  Waterville 
charge  which  were  organized  the  fall  previous.  This  society  has 
been  a  very  helpful  one  in  this  Synod  setting  a  noble  pace  for  those 
organized  later.  In  1882  a  Ladies'  Aid  Society  was  organized  and 
this  also  has  been  a  very  helpful  factor  to  the  church.  Among  the 
■  good  works  of  this  society  was  the  purchase  in  October,  1897,  of 
the  property  at  514  West  Third  street  for  $1,350,  and  the  presenta- 
tion of  the  same  to  the  church,  free  from  all  debt,  to  be  used  as  a 
parsonage.  Since  then  this  property  has  been  greatly  improved  and 
modernized  and  is  worth  $4,000.  Another  good  work  of  this  so- 
ciety was  the  installing  in  1901  of  a  fine  Moller  pipe  organ  in  the 
church  at  a  cost  of  $1,500.  Early  in  May  1907  ground  was  broken 
for  the  erection  of  an  addition  to  the  church  building  for  the  better 
accommodation  of  the  Sunday  School  and  for  the  promotion  of  the 
social  life  of  the  church.  The  building  is  according  to  plans  pre- 
pared by  W.  E.  Harris,  Architect  of  Kansas  City,  Kansas,  is  mod- 
ernly  equipped,  56  by  37  feet,  constructed  of  pressed  brick  with 
Strong  City  stone  trimmings.  On  the  first  floor  is  a  vestibule  en- 
trance 16  by  15  feet,  a  primary  room  19  by  16  feet  and  a  main 
room  36  by  36  feet.  This  Poor  is  finished  in  hard  pine  and  seated 
with  chairs.     There  are  two  sets  of  the  Wilson  vertical  rolling  par- 


TR1NITY    CHURCH,    (NEW    BUILDING.) 


TRINITY   CHURCH,   ABILENE.  55 

titions  enclosing  the  openings  between  the  rooms.  In  the  basement 
there  is  a  dining  hall  36  by  36  feet,  a  kitchen  18  by  15  feet  and 
toilet  rooms.  The  basement  has  a  high  ceiling,  is  well  lighted,  has 
a  concrete  floor  and  three  exits.  The  approximate  cost  of  the  im- 
provements, including  the  contract  price  of  $5,211,  art  glass  win- 
dows, plumbing,  steam  heating  plant,  lighting  and  furnishing  was 
$7,500.  The  building  committee  was  C.  Johntz,  H.  L.  Humphrey, 
H.  Johntz  and  the  pastor.  The  finance  committee  was  J.  E.  Brewer, 
J.  E.  Keel  and  G.  C.  Sterl.  J.  L.  Kruger,  of  Abilene,  contractor. 
The  church  has  a  strong  Luther  League  composed  of  upwards  of 
a  hundred  young  people.  It  has  at  present  200  communicant  mem- 
bers and  property  to  the  value  of  $18,000  with  some  indebtedness. 
It  has  the  strongest  working  force  of  any  of  our  Kansas  church, 
is  the  leading  church  in  the  city,  and  among  its  members  are  some 
of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influential  of  its  citizens.  Its  pastors 
following  Rev.  A.  J.  Kissell,  were  Rev.  G.  A.  Bowers,  D.  D.,  Octo- 
ber, 1882,  to  October,  1886.  Rev.  E.  B.  Killinger,  (supply)  Octo- 
ber, 1886,  to  April,  1887.  Rev.  F.  M.  Porch,  May,  1887,  to  October, 
1890;  Rev.  W.  L.  Seabrook,  December,  1890,  to  June,  1894.  Rev. 
H.  C.  Haithcox,  D.  D.,  November,  1894,  to  May,  1899.  In  October, 
1900,  Rev.  Fuller  Bergstresser,  the  present  pastor  took  charge. 


ATCHISON,  ST.  MARK'S. 

The  history  of  the  Lutheran  church  in  Atchison  comprises  a  suc- 
cession of  efforts  which  finally  culminated  in  the  organization  of 
the  present  congregation.  The  original  effort  antedates  the  organ- 
ization of  Kansas  Synod.  Early  in  1867  Mr.  J.  H.  Talbott,  an 
ardent  member  of  the  Lutheran  church,  called  attention  through 
the  columns  of  the  Lutheran  Observer,  to  Atchison  as  a  splendid 
point  for  a  Lutheran  mission.  He  induced  some  thirty  families  to 
subscribe  for  the  Observer.  Through  correspondence  he  solicited 
the  interest  of  Rev.  Morris  Officer,  then  Secretary  of  the  Home 
Mission  Society.  At  the  meeting  of  the  General  Synod  at  Harris- 
burg  in  1863  Rev.  Officer  persuaded  Rev.  M.  G.  Boyer,  then  a  li- 
centiate serving  a  church  at  Marklesburg,  Pa.,  to  become  a  mis- 
sionary at  Atchison.  He  and  his  young  wife  arrived  on  the  30th 
of  July.  He  was  not  very  favorably  impressed  with  the  town,  it 
"Presenting  a  rough  and  un-inviting  appearance."  Price's  Hall, 
then  located  on  South  Fourth  street,  between  Main  and  Commer- 
cial streets,  was  rented  and  fitted  up  and  services  begun  and  a  Sun- 


56 


ST.   MARK'S   CHURCH,  ATCHISON. 


day  school  organized.  An  organization  of  a  church  of  twenty- 
three  members  was  effected  on  the  20th  of  September.  The  first 
Church  Council  consisted  of  Messrs  C.  Weber  and  H.  Gehrett, 
elders;  J.  H.  Talbott,  J.  Beamer,  H.  Snyder,  and  F.  Brendt,  deacons. 
On  the  fifth  of  November  this  congregation  through  its  pastor 
participated  in  the  organization  of  Kansas  Synod. 


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ST.    MARK'S   CHURCH. 

In  the  spring  of  1869  bright  hopes  were  entertained  of  having 
a  chapel.  Arrangements  were  made  to  meet  all  of  the  expenses 
and  the  Church  Council  was  about  to  take  the  necessary  steps 
when  a  damper  was  put  on  the  effort  by  an  aged  minister  who  ad- 
vised delay  on  account  of  the  financial  stringency  of  the  times,  and 
the  numerical  weakness  of  the  church.  In  the  mean  time  the  Board 
of  Church  Extension  granted  them  a  loan  of  S500  which  was  in- 
vested in  the  purchase  of  an  excellent  lot  on  Kansas  Avenue,  and 
the  propriety  of  erecting  on  it  a  frame  church  35  by  55  was  care- 
fully discussed. 

Among  the  members  at  this  time  was  Rev.  A.  W.  Wagenhals  who 
was  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business.    At  the  latters  suggestion 


ST.   MARK'S   CHURCH,   ATCHISON.  57 

the  mission  purchased  a  fifteen  acre  tract  of  land  adjoining  the 
town  on  the  northwest,  which  they  platted  and  offered  for  sale  hop- 
ing to  make  enough  in  profits  with  which  to  erect  the  church.  In 
this  they  were  greatly  disappointed  barely  selling  enough  to  pay 
for  the  land,  however  holding  the  balance  for  future  use.  After  this 
the  congregation  used  the  Congregational  church.  Then  many 
moved  away.  To  add  to  their  troubles,  Rev.  Boyer  resigned  at  the 
end  of  the  year,  (1869).  After  this  Rev.  Wagenhals  supplied  the 
congregation  with  preaching  now  and  then,  during  his  brief  resi- 
dence in  Atchison.  For  ten  years  the  church  was  pastorless  and 
a  victim  of  all  the  disintegrating  influences  of  a  shepherdless 
church.  The  lots  of  the  church  were  sold  for  taxes  and  the  time  for 
their  redemption  had  about  expired  when  Mr.  Talbott  wrote  the 
state  of  affairs  to  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  who  redeemed  the  property 
and  had  the  lots  deeded  to  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  subject 
to  the  call  of  Kansas  Synod. 

In  1880  Rev.  W.  I.  Cutter,  a  returned  missionary  from  India,  with 
the  assistance  of  Rev.  David  Earhart  and  his  daughter  Mrs.  H.  E. 
Monroe,  gathered  together  the  remnants  of  the  old  organization 
with  the  thought  of  re-organizing.  Mrs.  Monroe  was  then  conduct- 
ing a  private  school  known  as  "The  Atchison  Institute,"  and  offered 
her  school  room  for  a  place  of  worship.  On  the  8th  of  August  the 
re-organization  took  place  with  the  following  elected  as  Church 
Council:  Elders,  J.  H.  Berlin,  W.  H.  Kuhns  and  N.  D.  Kistler; 
Deacons,  J.  L.  Heisey,  \V.  D.  Kistler,  and  John  Tusselman;  Trus- 
tees, J.  H.  Talbott,  W.  D.  Smith  and  S.  J.  Clarke.  During  a  part 
of  the  time  aid  was  received  from  the  Board  of  Home  Missions. 
The  new  congregation  was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  that  fall. 
The  church  was  served  in  connection  with  another  congregation. 
In  1882  the  missionary  aid  was  withdrawn  and  Rev.  Cutter  resigned 
and  for  two  years  the  congregation  again  languished.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1884,  Rev.  George  S.  Diven  was  commissioned  by  the  Board 
to  take  up  the  work  at  Atchison.  Interest  was  revived,  and  the  old 
membership  was  rounded  up,  and  another  re-organization  was 
effected.  This  congregation  worshipped  in  the  old  Odd  Fellows 
Hall.  A  wide  awake  Sunday  school  was  organized  and  a  great 
effort  put  forth  to  sucessfully  plant  a  church  there.  The  Presi- 
dent of  Synod  (1885)  reported  that  this  field  was  "growing  in  mem- 
bers and  influence,"  and  that  year  the  pastor  reported  sixty  mem- 
bers. The  "boom"  season  occurred  during  Rev.  Diven's  pastorate 
when  everything  was  rushed  along  at  a  tremendous  pace.  Rev. 
Diven  fell  in  with  the  movement  and  when  the  cry  for  a  college  at 


58  ST.    MARK'S   CHURCH,   ATCHISON. 

Atchison  was  made  by  the  "Boom  Syndicate"  the  pastor  promptly 
began  the  agitation  for  a  Lutheran  college  there.  The  success  of 
this  endeavor  upon  his  part  will  stand  as  a  monument  to  the  heroic 
efforts  of  Pastor  Diven  and  his  people.  Midland  college  once  estab- 
lished in  Atchison,  the  future  of  the  church  was  assured.  In  Feb- 
ruary the  church  was  incorporated  as  "St.  Mark's  English  Evangel- 
ical Church."  Rev.  Diven  resigned  in  1887,  and  in  April  the  fol- 
lowing year  Rev.  W.  F.  Rentz  was  called  and  commissioned  mis- 
sionary. He  set  himself  to  work  at  once  to  establish  the  church 
and  secure  a  building.  The  present  location  was  purchased  for 
$5,000.  The  south  part  with  the  dwelling  on  it  was  sold  to  the 
pastor,  for  $1,750.  Plans  were  at  once  adopted  for  the  erection  of 
a  chapel  32  by  60  ft.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  on  the  1st  of  Sep- 
tember, and  on  the  16th  of  December  the  church  was  formally  ded- 
icated, Rev.  M.  Rhodes,  D.  D.,  preaching  the  sermon  and  Rev.  A. 
M.  Geiger  making  the  appeal  for  money.  The  building  and  equip- 
ment cost  $4,010.  The  auditorium  was  seated  with  assembly  chairs. 
The  Church  Extension  Board  loaned  them  $1,000.  For  nine  years 
pastor  Rentz  led  his  flock  into  larger  fields  of  success.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1897,  Rev.  L.  S.  Keyser  took  charge,  serving  the  church  most 
acceptably.  He  relinquished  the  field  in  April,  1903.  Dr.  Keyser 
was  very  helpful  to  the  college  during  his  pastorate.  From  Septem- 
ber 1st,  1903,  to  January  1st,  1905,  Rev.  R.  W.  Hufford,  D.  D.,  was 
pastor  of  the  church.  After  a  vacancy  of  nine  months  Rev.  A.  E. 
Renn  took  charge. 

This  church  received  aid  from  the  mission  board  for  fifteen  years. 
It  became  self-sustaining  on  Nov.  1st,  1902.  It  now  ranks  among 
our  most  loyal  churches.  It  is  free  from  debt,  has  a  good  Woman's 
Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  a  Luther  League  and  a 
strong  Sunday  school.  It  reports  160  members  and  property  valued 
at  $7,000. 


ATCHISON  COUNTY,  MISSOURI  CHARGE. 

In  1869  Rev.  J.  G.  Groenmiller  and  three  congregations  came 
into  Kansas  Synod  with  a  membership  of  110  communicants,  Ger- 
man congregations,  located  at  Rockport  and  Dry  Creek  in  Atchison 
county,  Mo.,  and  at  McElroy  in  Richardson  county.  Neb.  In  the 
same  year  a  church  building  was  erected  at  Rockport,  which  was 
dedicated  on  Reformation  Day  (Oct.  31),  Revs.  Carlos  Martin  and 
E.   Huber  assisting  in  the  dedication.     The  McElroy  congregation 


ZION    CHURCH,   BELOIT. 


59 


built  a  church  in  1871.    When  the  Nebraska  Synod  was  organized 
in  1871  these  churches  transferred  their  membership  to  that  synod. 


BELOIT,  ZION. 


During  the  summer  of  1886  while  Rev.  J.  G.  Trefz  was  preach- 
ing near  the  Blue  Hills  community  in  Mitchell  county  he  found 
better  material  in  and  about  Beloit  for  a  permanent  organization 
and  turned  his  attention  to  that  point,  and  began  to  hold  German 
services  regularly  in  the  Presbyterian  church  at  that  place  Sunday 
afternoons.  On  the  1st  of  September  the  same  year  he  organized 
Zion  church  with  the  following  charter  members:  John  Brown,  F. 
Gladow,  Chas.  Franz,  Andrew  Range,  Carl  Spreuger,  Edward 
Schwarz,  Jacob  Eberle,  Gust.  Eberle,  Fred  Glauser,  S.  Scheriff, 
Geo.  Freyder,  Katie  Flenner,  John  Sturve,  Edw.  Stuerve,  W.  F. 
Gabe,  A.  W.  Boiler,  F.  Freyder,  Chas.  Ade,  George  Leitter,  Wm. 
J.  Franz,  Gottlieb  Hodler,  John  Eberle,  John  Freyder,  G.  H.  Franz, 
Chas.  Fiedler,  George  Mathis,  W.  C.  Hoffmeister,  Otto  Stueve  and 
Carl  Racky.  A  constitution  was  adopted  and  officers  elected.  The 
language  was  to  be  German,  and  the  church  decided  to  remain  in- 
dependent of  any  SynodiGal  connection.  Realizing  that  little  perm- 
anent progress  could  be  made  without  a  building  they  decided  at 
once  to  proceed  with  the  erection  of  a  church.    Plans  adopted  called 


zion's  church  and  parsonage. 


60  MT.   ZION    CHURCH,   BUNKER    HILL. 

for  a  stone  building  32  by  60  feet  with  vestibule  and  belfrey,  which 
complete  and  furnished  cost  some  over  $3,000.  The  dedication  took 
place  on  the  23d  of  July,  1887,  the  pastor  preaching  the  sermon. 
During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Trefz,  Zion's  church  and  St.  Paul's 
of  Glasco  were  united  into  a  pastoral  charge.  In  the  fall  of  1894 
the  pastor,  with  a  lay  delegate,  Mr.  J.  S.  Grau,  made  application 
for  the  reception  of  the  congregation  into  Kansas  Synod,  and  it 
was  duly  received.  Rev.  Trefz  resigned  in  December  the  same  year, 
and  was  followed  the  following  June  by  Rev.  P.  G.  Tonsing  who 
remained  with  the  congregation  until  February,  1901.  During  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  Tonsing  the  congregation  received  aid  from  the 
Board  of  Home  Missions,  and  also  for  some  time  after  1903.  In 
July,  1901,  Rev.  G.  Wenning  took  charge  remaining  till  the  follow- 
ing spring.  In  June,  1902,  Rev.  Nielson  became  pastor.  He  at 
once  began  a  movement  looking  toward  erecting  a  parsonage.  In 
this  he  was  successful,  erecting  a  comfortable  building  of  seven 
rooms,  with  bath,  and  other  conveniences,  costing  $1,500.  During 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Tonsing  services  were  held  alternating  in  Ger- 
man and  English.  The  Luther  League  holds  its  services  in  the  Eng- 
lish language.  The  property  is  well  equipped  with  walks,  fences, 
a  stable,  and  is  kept  up  in  first  class  shape.  One  of  the  young  lad- 
ies, Miss  Louisa  Runft  presented  the  church  with  a  fine  bell.  The 
church  at  present  has  110  members  enrolled,  no  indebtedness,  and 
property  valued  at  $6,000.  Rev.  Nielson  resigned  this  charge  April 
14,  1906  and  Rev.  John  Utesch  accepted  a  call  December  1st  of 
the  same  year,  and  is  now  pastor. 


BUNKER  HILL,  MT.  ZION 

Through  the  efforts  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Corbet  in  the  Spring  of  1871, 
the  first  Lutheran  preaching  services  were  held  in  Russell 
county.  On  the  21st  of  December  that  year  he  wrote  to  Rev.  D. 
Harbaugh,  the  President  of  Kansas  Synod,  urging  that  an  organiza- 
tion be  effected,  and  in  the  spring  of  1872  this  was  accomplished 
by  Rev.  G.  A.  Exline  with  nine  charter  members.  Rev.  Exline  be- 
coming the  pastor.  The  new  charge  was  taken  on  the  funds  of  the 
Mission  Board  June  1st,  1872,  the  Board  giving  $300  per  year  of 
the  salary.  The  church  was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  the  same 
fall.  Rev.  Exline  resigned  in  1874  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J. 
B.  Corbett  who  remained  during  1875-6.  On  the  20th  of  March 
the  latter  year  Rev.  A.  K.  Felton  took  charge  as  missionary.     The 


MT.   ZION    CHURCH,   BUNKER    HILL. 


61 


latter  was  succeeded  in  March,  1879,  by  Rev.  H.  F.  Long,  a  veteran 
of  the  Civil  War,  whose  evidence  of  loyal  service  to  his  country  was 
shown  in  the  absence  of  one  arm.  Up  to  this  time  the  church  had 
worshipped  in  the  school  house.  He  at  once  instituted  a  move- 
ment for  the  erection  of  a  building  for  the  mission,  in  which  move- 
ment the  women  of  the  congregation  were  the  moving  spirits.  Lots 
were  secured  and  a  loan  promised  from  the  Board  of  Church  Ex- 


MT.   ZION  S   CHURCH. 


tension  of  $400.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  on  the  25th  of  April, 
1880,  Rev.  J.  H.  Harpster  preaching  the  sermon,  and  Revs.  T.  F. 
Dornblaser,  G.  A.  Exline  and  J.  B.  Corbett  assisting  the  pastor  in 
the  ceremonies.  The  plans  called  for  a  substantial  stone  structure 
33  by  53  feet.  The  building  was  completed  and  ready  for  the  con- 
vention.of  Kansas  Synod  which  met  at  Bunker  Hill  on  the  5th  of 
October,  1881.  The  formal  dedication  took  place  on  the  following 
Sunday,  the  9th,  when  Rev.  F.  W.  Conrad,  D.  D.,  preached  the  ser- 
mon. The  appeal  added  $741  to  the  $1200  needed  and  the  short- 
age was  assumed  by  the  Church  Council.  Rev.  S.  S.  Waltz,  the 
President  of  Synod,  conducted  the  consecration  services  assisted 
by  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz.  The  church  is  a  gothic  structure  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  300  and  cost  $3,000.  This  church  is  a  monu- 
ment to  the  devotion  and  energy  of  its  women.  Through  their  ef- 
forts $600  was  raised  at  home  and  over  $800  through  appeals  in 
the  church  papers  during  the  course  of  the  year  prior  to  the  dedica- 
tion. Rev.  Long  resigned  in  April,  1883,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
N.  A.  Whitman  who  remained  only  a  few  months.  After  a  vacancy 
of  over  a  year  Rev.  Jacob  Schauer  became  pastor  in  which  he  was 


62  EXCELSIOR   CHURCH,   BUNKER    HILL   CHARGE. 

ably  assisted  by  a  most  excellent  wife.  A  Woman's  Horns  and 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  organized  soon  after  and  it  con- 
tinued a  very  helpful  organization  till  1897.  In  July,  1889,  Rev. 
Schauer  resigned  and  was  succeeded  in  1890  by  Rev.  H.  A.  Koogle 
who  remained  until  June,  1893.  After  a  vacancy  of  three  years 
Rev.  B.  F.  Kistler  a  licentiate  of  the  Western  Theological  Seminary, 
took  charge  July  1st,  1896.  On  April  1st,  1900  he  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  J.  N.  Zimmer,  who  served  the  pastorate  until  June,  1903. 
Rev.  Oscar  Ostrom,  a  member  of  the  Augustana  Synod,  supplied 
them  in  1904,  and  after  this  they  were  supplied  from  the  Seminary 
at  Atchison.  On  January  1st,  1907,  Rev.  J.  M.  Barnes,  the  present 
pastor  took  charge.  This  church  and  Excelsior  church  comprise 
the  Bunker  Hill  pastorate.  The  church  reports  30  members  and 
a  property  valued  at  $2,000  with  an  indebtedness  of  $400  to  the 
Church  Extenrion  Board. 


BUNKER  HILL,  EXCELSIOR. 

The  pioneer  work  resulting  in  the  organization  of  the  Excelsior 
Ev.  Lutheran  church,  located  a  few  miles  north  of  Ellsworth,  was 
done  by  Rev.  John  A  Bright  between  1882  and  1886.  The  church 
was  organized  by  him  on  the  3d  of  October,  1886,  in  the  Buffalo 
school  house  with  thirteen  charter  members.  At  the  meeting  of 
Synod  the  year  following  an  application  for  membership  was  pre- 
sented signed  by  the  following  members:  Jacob  Bowers,  Samuel 
Weinhold,  Fred  Langermann,  A.  Weinhold,  John  Camber,  Frank 
Hallman,  Lucy  A.  Cline,  B.  D.  Cline,  Catharine  Weinhold,  Sarah 
Sanford,  Mrs.  Susan  Camber,  Ella  Weinhold,  Sophie  Hohl,  Susie 
Camber,  Minnie  Camber,  Chas.  Langermann,  Hattie  Langermann, 
John  Langermann,  Chas.  R.  White,  Carrie  A.  White,  Mary  Langer- 
mann, Sophia  Langermann,  Louise  Langermann,  David  Dague,  Lillie 
Bowers,  Hattie  Bowers,  Louise  Weinhold,  Carrie  Weinhold,  and 
A.  S.  Hunter,  and  the  pastor,  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger.  This  application 
was  favorably  acted  upon  and  the  congregation  enrolled.  Rev. 
Bright  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger  and  the  church  was 
served  in  connection  with  that  at  Ellsworth  until  1892  when  it  was 
connected  with  the  Mt.  Zion  church  of  Bunker  Hill  as  a  pastoral 
charge.  Rev.  Yarger  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  W.  Krebs  who  took 
charge  of  the  Ellsworth  pastorate,  then  composed  of  Trinity,  St. 
Paul's  and  Excelsior,  on  the  10th  of  September,  1889,  but  resigned 
in  a  few  months.     He  was  succeeded  in  February,   1890,  by  Rev. 


EXCELSIOR   CHURCH,   BUNKER    HILL   CHARGE. 


63 


E.  S.  Rees,  who  also  remained  but  a  few  months.  The  church  was 
then  supplied  by  Rev.  H.  A.  Koogle.  Rev.  E.  B.  Killinger  followed 
resigning  June  12,  1892.  During  1893-6  as  a  part  of  the  Bunker 
Hill  charge  the  church  was  pastorless.  On  the  1st  of  July,  1896, 
Rev.  B.  F.  Kistler  of  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Midland  took 
charge.  He  at  once  advocated  the  erection  of  a  church  building 
and  his  advances  were  favorably  received.  The  congregation  ral- 
lied faithfully  around  their  young  pastor  and  ways  and  means  were 
soon  provided.  In  this  effort  they  were  assisted  by  the  Bunker  Hill 
church  and  also  from  the  sale  of  the  Kanapolis  church.  The  corner- 
stone was  laid  on  the  26th  of  October,  1897,  and  the  building  was 


EXCELSIOR   CHURCH. 


dedicated  on  Easter  following,  April  10.  The  sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger.  The  building  is  situated  on  the  highest  point 
of  land  in  that  vicinity  and  is  a  conspicuous  object  seen  miles  away. 
It  is  a  frame  structure  30  by  40  feet  having  a  tower  10  by  10  feet 
in  the  center  front,  56  feet  high.  The  furniture  is  oak  and  walnut. 
The  ceiling  is  of  hard  pine.  The  entire  money  cost  was  $1,800  all 
of  which  had  been  provided  before  the  dedication  with  the  excep- 
tion of  $160  which  was  more  than  met  with  the  free  offering  on 
the  day  of  dedication.  The  building  is  a  credit  to  the  energy  and 
wisdom  of  its  young  pastor.  Rev.  Kistler  resigned  October  1st, 
1900,  and  on  April  14th  following  Rev.  J.  N.  Zimmer  took  charge, 
retaining  the  pastorate  until  June,  1903.  Mr.  Oscar  Ostrom  sup- 
plied them  in  1904,  and  Rev.  Lebbeus  Woods,  a  theological  student, 


64  st.  Paul's  church,  brown  county. 

during  his  vacations  in  1905-6.  The  church  reports  a  membership 
of  31  and  a  property  valued  at  $1500,  with  no  indebtedness.  Rev. 
J.  M.  Barnes  at  present  is  pastor,  who  took  charge  January  1,  1907. 


BROWN  COUNTY,  ST.   PAUL'S. 

The  initiative  in  organizing  a  Lutheran  church  in  Brown  county 
was  taken  by  Rev.  E.  S.  Reese  who  came  to  Kansas  in  1879  and 
began  preaching  for  a  few  Lutheran  families  who  had  settled  in 
Morrill  township,  in  the  extreme  northwest  corner  of  the  county. 
Here  he  organized  a  church  with  nine  charter  members  and  opened 
a  Sunday  school  which  for  a  while  greatly  flourished  having  at  one 
time  an  enrollment  of  145,  both  services  being  held  in  a  school 
house.  He  served  them  for  three  years.  In  the  mean  time  because 
of  repeated  refusals  to  attend  synod  or  give  an  excuse  for  his 
absence,  his  name  was  dropped  from  the  roll  of  Kansas  Synod,  and 
in  consequence  of  this  he  resigned.  At  this  time  the  congregation 
reported  forty-six  members.  No  services  being  held  for  the  two 
ensuing  years  the  organization  languished. 

In  1884  this  neighborhood  was  visited  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Kimmel  of 
Auburn,  Neb.,  and  in  May  a  service  was  held  in  a  school  house 
located  two  miles  from  the  residence  of  Mr.  A.  J.  Kreger.  Rev. 
Kimmel,  in  accordance  with  his  impetuous  nature,  urged  the  im- 
mediate re-organization  of  the  church.  This  was  done  and  a  con- 
stitution adopted,  and  six  elders  and  six  deacons  were  chosen. 
Among  the  leading  members  were,  Father  Kreger,  A.  J.  Kreger,  E. 
Kein,  the  Hoover  Bothers,  and  Messrs  Raunald,  Ringer,  Weimer, 
and  Betner.  After  the  organization  Rev.  Kimmel  advocated  build- 
ing a  church  at  once  which  was  agreed  to.  A  splendid  lot  was  donat- 
ed by  Mr.  Ringer  which  was  located  about  eight  miles  northeast  of 
Sabetha,  and  seven  miles  northwest  of  the  town  of  Morrill.  The 
next  visit  of  Rev.  Kimmel  was  on  Thursday  evening,  May  29th, 
when  he  preached  his  set  sermon,  "Arise  and  Build,"  Neh.  2:18. 
He  writes  of  this  visit  in  the  Lutheran  Observer,  "They  looked 
amazed,  though  they  agreed  to  build  when  I  was  there  before,  but 
I  suppose  they  thought  they  would  do  so  in  the  fall  or  in  the  next 
spring;  but  when  I  took  out  a  subscription  book  and  called  for  $100 
subscriptions,  their  astonishment  could  not  find  expression.  I  told 
them  I  was  there  to  build  and  if  they  would  not,  early  next  morn- 
ing, I  would  head  my  ponies  northward.  This  they  did  not  want, 
and  the  work  began,  and  at  Monday  noon  I  left  for    home  with 


65 


REV.    E.    E.   STAUFFER. 


REV.   R.   B.  WOLF. 


REV.   GEO.    BEISWANGER. 


REV.   J.   C.   SCHINDEL. 


REV.   C.   W.   SIFFORD,   D.    D.  REV.    A.    M.    REITZEL. 


66  zion's  CHURCH,  NEMAHA  county. 

$1,000  subscribed  for  the  church,  plans  decided  upon,  arrange- 
ments made  for  putting  in  the  foundation  the  following  week,  and 
the  future  of  St.  Paul's  Lutheran  Church  of  Brown  county  is  bright 
and  promising."  This  was  certainly  like  a  church  extension  cyclone 
striking  a  staid  farming  community,  but  the  building  was  completed 
in  accordance  with  the  energy  with  which  it  was  started.  It  was 
dedicated  August  31st  the  same  year.  It  was  a  frame  structure  28 
by  44  feet,  with  a  pulpit  recess  6  by  1 1  feet,  and  a  belfrey  tower 
above,  and  cost  all  told  $1,600.  The  dedicatory  sermon  was 
preached  by  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz,  and  all  indebtedness  raised  on  the 
spot.  As  was  Rev.  Kimmel's  custom  at  that  time,  he  remained  only 
long  enough  to  get  the  building  erected  when  he  was  ready  to  turn 
over  the  work  to  another.  The  church  was  supplied  for  several 
years  by  pastors  from  Kansas  and  Nebraska.  In  1885  Rev.  A.  B. 
Kirtland  was  called  as  a  stated  supply,  and  in  1887  Rev.  Enos 
Rees  became  pastor.  In  1888  the  name  of  the  church  was  stricken 
from  the  roll  of  Kansas  Synod  on  the  ground  that  it  was  a  part  of 
Nebraska  Synod.  For  three  years  it  was  served  by  Rev.  B.  F.  Pugh, 
however  in  1895  it  was  replaced  on  the  Kansas  roll,  the  synod 
granting  that  the  former  action  was  an  error.  The  same  year  Rev. 
J.  W.  Buzzard  became  pastor.  The  church  was  vacant  during 
1896-7-8-9.  In  1900  Rev.  C.  N.  Swihart  supplied  the  church  and 
in  the  following  year  Rev.  B.  F.  Kistler  became  pastor.  Since  1902 
the  church  has  been  without  a  pastor.  In  its  best  days  it  reported 
about  forty  members,  nearly  all  of  whom  have  now  moved  away. 


NEMAHA  COUNTY,  ZION'S. 

In  1886  Rev.  Enos  Rees  began  preaching  for  a  few  Lutheran 
families  in  the  "Ladwig"  school  house  near  the  village  post  office 
of  Clear  Creek,  Saunders  county,  Nebraska.  About  the  same  time 
he  was  approached  by  some  Lutheran  families  by  the  name  of  Kerl 
residing  over  the  line  in  Nemaha  county,  Kansas,  requesting  his 
services  in  their  neighborhood.  Accepting  the  invitation  he  preach- 
ed for  a  season  in  the  "Allison"  and  the  "Prairies  Grove"  school 
houses.  After  a  while  these  services  were  moved  four  miles  north 
to  the  "Prairie  Star"  school  house,  located  in  Nebraska.  Here  on 
the  4th  of  July,  1886,  he  organized  "Zion's  Ev.  Lutheran  church" 
with  the  following  charter  members:  Lewis  Kerl,  Martha  Kerl,  J.  F. 
Kerl,  Mary  Kerl,  William  Kerl,  Charles  Kerl,  M.  E.  Kerl,  I.  C.  Kerl, 
David  Wishard,  Jane  Wishard,  Margaret  Meiers,  Charlotte  Meiers, 


ZION'S  CHURCH,  BROWN   COUNTY.  67 

John  E.  Meiers,  Fr.  W.  Meiers,  Chas.  F.  W.  Meiers,  Albert  Ladwig, 
Sarah  Ladwig,  Catharine  Rees,  John  A.  Long,  and  Eliza  Long.  The 
church  made  formal  application  for  admission  into  Kansas  Synod 
that  fall  and  was  duly  admitted.  It  is  referred  to  in  various  min- 
utes as  "Zion's,"  "The  Prairie  Star,"  and  the  "Kerl"  church.  A 
site  for  a  church  and  cemetery  was  donated  by  Mr.  Lewis  Kerl  and 
steps  were  taken  for  the  erection  of  a  church.  The  corner-stone 
was  laid  August  19,  1888,  and  a  short  time  after  that  the  building 
was  completed  and  dedicated.  While  serving  this  church  Rev.  Rees 
preached  at  Clear  Creek  and  Pawnee,  Neb.,  and  in  order  to  do  this 
was  obliged  to  drive  a  circuit  of  about  40  miles.  He  resigned  on 
January  20,  1889,  and  was  followed  some  time  later  by  Rev.  J.  F. 
Kuhlman,  under  whose  pastorate  the  congregation  was  transferred 
to  the  Nebraska  Synod. 


BROWN  COUNTY,  ZION'S. 

Zion's  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Sabetha,  Kansas,  was  organized 
by  Rev.  B.  F.  Pugh  on  the  14th  of  April,  1892,  with  sixteen  mem- 
bers. The  elders  elected  were  Mr.  Abbott  G.  Rees  and  Mr.  J.  M. 
Shenkleberger,  and  the  deacons  were  Mr.  M.  M.  Schultz  and  Mr.  S. 
H.  Hoover.  The  congregation  worshipped  Sunday  afternoons  in  the 
Baptist  church.  In  October  it  was  formally  admitted  into  Nebraska 
Synod,  of  which  Rev.  Pugh  was  a  member.  Failing  to  get  a  dona- 
tion from  the  Church  Extension  Board  in  order  to  aid  them  in  erect- 
ing a  church,  the  congregation  became  discouraged.  After  making 
several  unsuccessful  attempts  to  secure  a  location  Rev.  Pugh  re- 
signed after  having  preached  for  them  a  little  over  two  years.  This 
was  followed  by  a  period  of  vacancy,  owing  to  which  the  congre- 
gation became  scattered  and  having  no  property  it  soon  disinte- 
grated. Mr.  Hoover  and  wife  united  with  the  congregational  church 
and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rees  continue  loyal  to  their  Lutheran  faith. 


CAMPUS,  ENGLISH  LUTHERAN. 

In  the  summer  of  1906  some  of  the  enterprising  citizens  resid- 
ing in  a  splendid  wheat  section  of  Gove  county  about  the  post 
office  of  Campus,  feeling  the  need  of  a  church  in  their  neighbor- 
hood set  themselves  to  the  task  of  organizing  one.  The  majority 
of  these  were  Lutherans  and  so  they  decided  to  organize  a  Lutheran 


63 


THE    EV.    LUTHERAN    CHURCH,   CAMPUS. 


church.  Not  having  any  Lutheran  pastor  near  to  advise  with,  they 
concluded  to  proceed  to  erect  a  building  and  organize  the  church 
afterward.  A  building  committee  composed  of  Messrs  J.  A.  Don- 
ielson,  H.  W.  Ottken,  James  Rickley  and  A.  L.  Miller,  was  appointed. 
These  decided  to  erect  a  frame  building  28  by  40  feet  with  a  large 
vestibule  in  addition  in  the  front  12  by  14  feet,  and  a  pulpit  recess 


EV.    LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 


5  by  10  feet.  The  contract  was  awarded  to  Mr.  W.  A.  Baker  for 
$1,697.  Messrs  Ottken  and  Donielson  started  the  subscription 
with  S100  each.     Over  $500  was  raised  as  a  starter. 

The  building  was  completed  early  in  the 
spring  of  1907,  and  word  was  sent  to  the 
President  of  Kansas  Synod,  Rev.  H.  A.  Ott, 
D.  D.,  asking  him  to  come  out  and  dedicate 
it.  Dr.  Ott  visited  the  place  on  the  3rd  of 
March  holding  three  services,  and  advised 
them  to  let  him  send  them  a  minister  for  the 
purpose  of  conducting  a  three  weeks  series 
of  services  preliminary  to  organization.  This 
was  agreed  to  and  Rev.  John  A.  Bright  of 
Topeka  was  called,  who  assisted  by  his  wife, 
held  daily  services  over  three  Sundays  and 
gathered  a  list  of  thirty-eight  charter 
rev.  j.  a.  bright.        members.      On    Sunday    the    7th    of    April 


THE    EV.    LUTHERAN    CHURCH,   CAMPUS.  69 

Dr.  Ott  again  visited  the  place,  conducted  an  appeal  for  the 
SI, 207  remaining  indebtedness,  raising  SI, 250  with  the  assistance 
of  Rev.  Bright  in  the  audience.  The  church  was  then  duly  dedicat- 
ed after  which  the  "Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  Campus"  was 
organized  with  the  following  thirty-eight  charter  members:  H.  W. 
Ottken,  John  A.  Donielson,  Mrs.  Ida  Ottken,  Miss  Adelia  Ottken, 
Walter  Ottken,  James  Rickley,  Mrs.  Amelia  Rickley,  Miss  Ruby 
Rickley,  Elmer  Rickley,  B.  F.  Jennings,  George  Jennings,  Miss 
Ruth  Jennings,  Miss  Grace  Jennings,  Henry  Homm,  Mrs.  Harriet 
V.  Homm,  Miss  Minnie  Homm,  Miss  Annie  Homm,  George  Homm, 
John  Homm,  Frederick  Kayser,  Mrs.  Carolina  Kayser,  Miss  Lena 
Kayser,  John  Kayser,  Mrs.  Zora  Doering,  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Mallory, 
Miss  Merle  Mallory,  Jesse  Mallory,  Abram  Flipse,  Mrs.  Betty 
Flipse,  Daniel  Flipse,  Albert  L.  Miller,  Mrs.  Minnie  C.  Miller,  Miss 
Bessie  Miller,  Miss  Ethel  Miller,  Carl  Kuhl,  Mrs.  Johanna  Kuhl, 
John  Stensaas  and  Nels  Steanson.  A  constitution  was  adopted  and 
the  following  officers  were  elected:  Elders,  H.  W.  Ottken  and  Henry 
Homm;  Deacons,  J.  A.  Donielson  and  Abram  Flipse;  and  Trustees, 
James  Rickley,  Nels  Steanson,  and  A.  L.  Miller.  The  Sunday  school 
was  made  a  strictly  Lutheran  school  and  Mr.  A.  L.  Miller  was  elect- 
ed superintendent. 

Rev.  Bright  also  held  services  at  Orion,  a  point  twelve  miles 
south  of  Campus,  and  made  preliminary  arrangements  for  the  or- 
ganization of  a  church  there.  The  Campus  church  and  leading  in- 
dividuals at  Orion  decided  to  pledge  themselves  for  $700  salary  for 
a  pastor  with  the  understanding  that  a  parsonage  be  built  at  once 
at  Campus.  They  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  Bright  which  he  accepted 
agreeing  to  take  charge  in  the  fall  of  1907.  The  ground,  on  which 
the  church  stands,  was  donated  by  Mr.  Henry  Doering. 


CHAPMAN,  SCHERER  MEMORIAL. 

While  Rev.  J.  F.  Scherer  was  pastor  of  the  Ebenezer  church 
south  of  Chapman,  he  began  a  series  of  meetings  in  a  school  house 
in  the  town  of  Chapman  in  February,  1889.  The  result  was  a  num- 
ber of  conversions  and  a  good  prospect  for  the  organizing  of  a 
church  in  the  town.  On  the  15th  of  March  following  he  organized 
the  Scherer  Memorial  church  with  fifteen  charter  members.  Be- 
cause a  number  of  his  relatives  were  members  of  the  congregation, 
the  church  was  named  after  the  Rev.  Jacob  Scherer,  the  pastor's 
father,  who  had  been  an  honored  pioneer  Lutheran  clergyman  in 


70 


THE  SCHERER  MEMORIAL  CHURCH,  CHAPMAN. 


Central  Illinois.  Mr.  E.  J.  Earle  and  Mr.  M.  M.  Hewitt  were  elected 
elders  and  C.  F.  Randall  and  George  E.  Scherer,  deacons.  The 
church  was  admitted  into  Synod  that  fall.  The  congregation  was 
made  up  largely  of  people  without  means.  However  they  bravely 
decided  to  build  at  once.  Lots  were  secured  and  plans  were  adopt- 
ed calling  for  a  substantial  stone  building  30  by  44  feet.  To  en- 
courage them  to  go  ahead  Rev.  George  D.  Gotwald  and  Mr.  C.  H. 
Lebold  each  gave  them  $100,  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  loan- 


SCHERER    MEMORIAL. 


ed  them  $300,  and  the  balance  was  pledged  on  the  ground.  The 
building  was  completed  the  same  year  and  dedicated  on  the  22nd 
of  December.  Rev.  J.  A.  Clutz  preached  the  sermon  and  the  pastor 
was  assisted  also  by  Rev.  C.  W.  Maggart.  The  structure  cost 
$2,300,  all  of  which  was  provided  excepting  the  loan  referred  to. 
A  parsonage  was  erected  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Scherer.  (The 
Ebenezer  church  of  the  same  charge  assisting,)  a  two  story  frame 
building  24  by  30  feet  with  a  one  story  addition  12  by  16  feet,  cost- 
ing $1,100.  The  funds  for  the  erection  of  it  were  secured  partly 
by  subscription  and  partly  from  a  building  and  loan  association, 
making  the  latter  payments  annually  until  1902  when  it  was  finally 
all  paid.  Rev.  Scherer  resigned  in  1890.  From  that  time  until 
April,  1892,  the  church  was  without  a  pastor  excepting  a  couple 
months  when  it  was  served  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Kuntz.  From  this  time 
the  church  received  aid  till   1898  from  the  Home  Mission  Board. 


EBENEZER   CHURCH,  CHAPMAN   CHARGE.  71 

During  1892-3  Rev.  H.  A.  Koogle  served  as  pastor,  Rev.  J.  A.  Lowe 
from  1893  to  August  1894,  and  Rev.  A.  Sell  from  January  1895  to 
March  1896.  Beginning  in  September  the  latter  year  Rev.  H.  A. 
Koogle  again  took  charge  for  one  year.  Following  him  Rev.  G.  O. 
Ritter  assumed  the  pastorate  November  1,  1899,  remaining  three 
years.  On  January  2nd,  1904,  Rev.  H.  H.  Hall,  D.  D.,  became 
pastor  and  is  serving  the  church  at  the  present  time.  The  church 
is  served  in  connection  with  Ebenezer  church  as  a  charge.  The 
church  has  36  members  and  property  valued  at  $2,000.  A  W.  H. 
&  F.  M.  S.  was  organized  in  1889  but  allowed  to  lapse.  It  was  re- 
organized in  1892  but  again  lapsed.  The  church  has  36  members, 
and  property  valued  at  $2,500,  with  a  small  debt  of  about  $300. 


CHAPMAN,  EBENEZER. 

Among  the  pioneer  clergymen  living  in  Kansas  prior  to  the  or- 
ganization of  Kansas  Synod  was  Rev.  F.  R.  Scherer  who  had  come 
from  Illinois  and  located  on  a  farm  near  Waterville.  Here  he 
preached  in  various  country  school  houses,  being  in  fact  the  only 
Lutheran  preacher  in  these  parts.  In  February,  1874,  he  visited 
his  brother,  Mr.  Ralph  Scherer  residing  nine  miles  south  of  Chap- 
man, and  while  there  he  preached  in  the  Hiawatha  school  house, 
where  a  precious  revival  broke  out  and  many  were  converted.  He 
made  a  partial  organization  of  a  church  but  did  not  complete  the 
same  until  January  15,  1875,  when  twenty-one  charter  members 
were  enrolled,  and  a  constitution  was  adopted.  The  church  was 
named  "Ebenezer"  in  recognition  of  the  hand  of  God  in  the  revival, 
"Hitherto  the  Lord  hath  helped  us."  The  first  Church  Council  was 
composed  of  Messrs  R.  C.  Chambers  and  R.  Scherer,  elders,  and 

C.  A.  Scherer  and  S.  L.  Graham,  deacons.  The  congregation  was 
admitted  into  Synod  in  the  year  of  1876.  In  1878  Rev.  Scherer 
moved  to  McPherson  county.  From  1877  to  April  1880  Rev.  S.  P. 
Harrington  served  the  church  in  connection  with  the  Spring  Valley 
church,  a  church  north  of  Abilene.  In  June,  1881,  Rev.  B.  F.  Gren- 
oble, a  licentiate  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Pleasant  Valley 
and  Ebenezer  churches.  He  threw  his  whole  soul  into  the  work 
raising  the  cry,  "a  church  at  Ebenezer."  The  building  was  begun 
1882  and  completed  and  dedicated  April  29th,  1883.  The  building 
was  frame  28  by  45  feet  and  cost  $2,700.     Rev.  Geo.  A.  Bowers, 

D.  D.,  and  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz  preached  at  the  dedication.  Rev. 
F.  R.  Scherer  and  Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington  were  present  .besides  the 


72 


REV.    J.    F.    CRESSLER. 


REV.    S.    HENRY. 


REV.    H.   ACKERS. 


REV.    A.    B.    WHITEHILL. 


REV.    J.    A.    LOWE. 


REV.   S.    PALMER. 


st.  Paul's  church,  Denver,  colo.  73 

pastor.  Eleven  hundred  dollars  were  raised  on  the  day  of  dedica- 
tion, providing  for  all  indebtedness.  This  church  seems  to  enjoy 
the  distinction  of  being  the  first  Lutheran  church  belonging  to  the 
General  Synod,  erected  in  a  country  district  in  the  state.  At  that 
time  it  was  called  the  Hiawatha  church,  after  the  school  house  in 
which  it  was  organized.  Later  it  was  named  Ebenezer.  Rev.  Gren- 
oble resigned  in  June,  1883.  After  a  vacancy  of  a  year,  Rev.  N.  A. 
Whitman  became  pastor  serving  the  charge  until  January,  1887. 
During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Whitman  he  also  served  a  church  at 
Keystone,  a  few  miles  east  of  Manchester,  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  county.  Rev.  J.  F.  Scherer  took  charge  of  the  church  on  the 
18th  of  March,  1888,  serving  the  church  in  connection  with  that  at 
Chapman  as  a  pastoral  charge.  He  resigned  in  December,  1890. 
After  that  date  the  pastors  were  the  same  as  those  of  the  Scherer 
Memorial,  which  see.  The  church  at  present  has  a  membership  of 
30,  property  valued  at  SI, 500,  with  a  half  interest  in  the  parsonage 
at  Chapman.     It  has  no  debt. 


DENVER,  COLORADO,  ST.  PAUL'S. 

The  first  effort  to  establish  a  Lutheran  church  in  Colorado  was 
made  by  Rev.  Ruben  Weiser  in  1876,  then  residing  in  Georgetown 
and  editing  The  Colorado  Miner.  The  attempt  was  made  both  at 
Denver  and  Georgetown,  but  the  enterprise  failed.  In  1884  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Mission- 
ary Society  decided  to  plant  a  mission  at  Denver  and  commissioned 
Rev.  P.  A.  Heilman  as  missionary.  On  the  19th  of  October  the 
same  year,  St.  Paul's  church,  (The  Woman's  Second  Memorial) 
was  organized  with  eighteen  charter  members,  among  whom  were 
Rev.  Reuben  Weiser  and  wife,  E.  L.  Cree,  Geo.  L.  Sheets  and  wife, 
A.  B.  Middlemarth  and  wife,  Mrs.  Hildebrand,  Mrs.  Dumans,  Miss 
Jennie  Fischer,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Exline,  Mr.  Jenkins,  and  Benj. 
Sadtler.  The  first  elders  were  R.  Weiser  and  G.  L.  Sheets,  and  the 
first  deacons  were,  J.  W.  Exline,  M.  D.,  and  James  Lyson.  The 
congregation  at  first  worshipped  in  a  hall.  In  a  short  time  a  build- 
ing site  was  purchased  at  the  corner  of  22nd  and  California  streets 
at  a  cost  of  $5,000,  and  plans  were  adopted  for  the  erection  of  a 
brick  gothic  structure.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  on  the  18th  of 
October,'  1885.  The  main  room  is  nearly  square,  55  by  57  feet  and 
the  lecture  room,  35  by  45  feet,  and  a  primary  room  15  by  20  feet, 
all  connected  with  folding  doors.    Joining  the  church  and  attached 


74  THE    EFFINGHAM    CHURCH. 

to  it  a  comfortable  parsonage  was  erected.  In  February  1886  the 
congregation  moved  into  the  Lecture  room,  and  the  dedication  took 
place  on  the  21st  of  March  the  same  year.  Rev.  F.  W.  Conrad,  D. 
D.,  preached  the  sermon.  Addresses  were  also  delivered  by  Rev. 
M.  F.  Troxell,  President  of  Kansas  Synod,  Rev.  Henry  Stauffer, 
of  Denver,  and  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz.  The  day  brought  in  $1,700  in 
cash  and  subscriptions,  leaving  $1,800  debt  on  the  building  aside 
from  the  Church  Extension  Loans.  The  building  cost  $13,910.  The 
congregation  was  formally  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  in  the  fall 
of  1884.  In  1889  Rev.  Heilman  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  C.  J.  Kiefer. 
In  1891  the  church  was  dismissed  to  the  newly  organizing  Rocky 
Mountain  Synod,  at  which  time  it  reported  100  members,  property 
valued  at  $30,000,  and  an  indebtedness  of  $6,000.  In  1895  a  mis- 
sionary society  was  organized  which  affiliated  with  Kansas  Synod- 
ical  society  until  1903  when  it  was  transferred  to  a  similar  society 
organized  within  the  bounds  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Synod.  Since 
leaving  Kansas  Synod  this  church  has  been  served  by  Dr.  C.  W. 
Heisler,  Dr.  E.  W.  Simon,  Rev.  R.  H.  Williams  and  Dr.  R.  B. 
Peery. 


EFFINGHAM,  FIRST  LUTHERAN. 

While  Rev.  M.  G.  Boyer  was  serving  the  congregation  at  Mon- 
rovia, he  began  preaching  in  a  school  house  at  Effingham,  a  small 
town  three  miles  to  the  west.  Here  in  the  summer  of  1870  he  or- 
ganized a  Lutheran  church  of  twenty-five  members  which  was  duly 
enrolled  that  fall  as  a  component  part  of  the  newly  organized  Kan- 
sas Synod,  and  united  as  a  pastoral  charge  with  Monrovia.  This 
church  he  served  about  a  year.  After  his  resignation  the  work 
languished,  not  being  able  to  give  adequate  support  to  a  pastor, 
and  through  removals  soon  disintegrated  until  nothing  remained 
and  the  congregation  was  dropped  from  the  roll  of  Synod. 

Early  in  1889  a  request  was  made  by  some  of  the  Lutheran  fam- 
ilies at  Effingham  to  the  brethren  at  Atchison  and  Midland  college, 
for  services.  As  a  result  of  this  request  Rev.  W.  F.  Rentz  held 
a  series  of  meetings  there  resulting  in  a  goodly  number  of  conver- 
sions, and  this  encouraged  him  to  proceed  with  the  organization 
of  a  church,  which  was  duly  accomplished  with  the  following 
charter  members:  Benjamin  Wallack,  Mrs.  Mary  Wallack,  H.  C. 
Snyder,  Mrs.  Caroline  Snyder,  J.  H.  Horn,  Mrs.  Sarah  Horn,  Sam- 
uel  Reichman,   Mrs.   Caroline    Reichman,   Daniel   Hawk,    Andrew 


THE    EFFINGHAM    CHURCH. 


75 


Harman,  Mrs.  Evaline  Harman,  L.  T.  Hawk,  Mrs.  L.  T.  Hawk,  A. 
Keplinger,  Mrs.  A.  Keplinger,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jonathan  Hawk,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  B.  F.  Snyder,  Effie  M.  Snyder,  Elizabeth  Kirkpatric,  Wil- 
liam Kirkpatric,  Eliza  Snyder,  Jacob  Harman,  Mary  J.  Harman, 
Mrs.  Addie  F.  Cummings,  Margaret  J.  Hawk,  Mary  J.  Hawk,  Mrs. 
Eliza  McCormack,  and  George  Hawk.  A  constitution  was  adopted 
and  the  following  officers  elected:  Elders,  B.  Wallack  and  H.  C. 
Snyder;  Deacons,  Daniel  Hawk,  Andrew  Harman  and  J.  H.  Horn; 
Trustees,  A.  Keplinger,  L.  T.  Hawk  and  B.  F.  Snyder.     That  fall 

the  congregation,  then 
composed  of  31  mem- 
bers, was  received  into 
Kansas  Synod.  This 
church  was  not  a  re-or- 
ganization of  the  old 
congregation  effected  by 
Rev.  Boyer  nor  was  it 
the  Monrovia  congrega- 
tion moved  to  Effingham, 
for  both  of  these  con- 
gregations as  such  had 
long  since  passed  out  of 
existence  and  had  been 
erased  from  the  Synod's 
roll.  Quite  a  number  of 
the  old  Monrovia  con- 
gregation had  united 
with  the  Presbyterian 
and  Methodist  churches, 
and  when  the  Effingham 
church  was  organized 
some  of  these  came 
back  but  handed  in  denominational  letters  of  another  faith.  The 
old  Monrovia  church  had  been  sold  to  a  son  of  the  venerable  Hon. 
S.  J.  H.  Snyder,  and  was  used  as  a  hay  barn.  Rev.  Prof.  J.  H. 
Stough,  Ph.  D.,  took  charge  of  the  new  organization  as  supply. 
For  the  first  year  they  worshipped  in  a  very  small  building  that 
had  belonged  to  a  defunct  Baptist  church,  but  in  the  spring  of  1890 
it  was  felt  that  a  new  and  larger  house  was  a  necessity.  Father 
Benjamin  Wallack  with  several  others,  took  the  matter  in  hand, 
raised  the  money,  let  the  contracts,  and  supervised  the  erection  of 
the  church.     The  Board  of  Church  Extension  made  a  donation  of 


FIRST   LUTHERAN. 


76  ST.   MARK'S   CHURCH^  EMPORIA. 

$250  towards  the  building.  The  plans  called  for  a  frame  structure. 
32  by  56,  and  cost  $2,500.  The  building  was  dedicated  September 
28th,  Rev.  J.  A.  Clutz,  D.  D.,  preaching  the  sermon.  The  entire 
structure  was  new  except  the  pews  and  pulpit  furniture,  which 
were  brought  from  Monrovia,  having  been  saved  from  the  old 
church  there.  Prof.  Stough  continued  to  serve  them  until  January, 
1893,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Umberger.  At  this 
time  the  Effingham  and  Valley  Falls  churches  were  united  into  a 
pastoral  charge.  Rev.  Umberger  relinquished  this  pastorate  in 
June,  1895,  and  a  month  later  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  S.  M. 
Lesher.  The  latter  remained  until  1898.  After  this  Rev.  F.  D. 
Altman,  D.  D.,  served  them  as  supply  for  two  years.  On  the  1st 
of  June,  1901,  Rev.  J.  M.  Herbst  became  pastor,  serving  the  charge 
until  the  fall  of  1906,  when  the  Effingham  church  asked  the  Synod 
to  allow  them  to  become  a  separate  charge,  in  the  hope  of  devel- 
oping a  more  rapid  growth.  This  was  allowed  and  Rev.  Herbst 
remained  their  pastor.  He  resigned  in  February,  1907.  He  was 
followed  July  1st  the  same  year  by  Rev.  Edw.  Bollman,  the  present 
pastor.  The  church  reports  64  communicants,  a  Sunday  School  of 
the  same  size,  and  property  valued  at  $1,500  with  no  indebtedness. 
The  church  at  present  is  a  mission. 


EMPORIA,  ST.  MARK'S. 

Possibly  the  earliest  record  looking  toward  planting  a  mission  in 
the  growing  town  of  Emporia  is  found  in  the  minutes  of  Kansas 
Synod  at  its  second  annual  convention  in  1869,  when  it  was 

"Resolved,  That  the  President  of  this  Synod  be  authorized  to 
visit  the  town  of  Emporia,  and  organize  the  members  of  the  Luth- 
eran church  into  a  congregation,  and  endeavor  to  procure  for  them 
a  ministerial  supply." 

The  President,  Rev.  A.  J.  Hesson,  in  his  report  the  following  year 
said,  "Complying  with  a  resolution  passed  by  this  Synod  at  its 
last  convention,  I  visited  Emporia  to  organize  a  church.  I  found 
twenty-five  members  there,  but  thought  it  not  advisable  to  organize 
because  the  Missionary  Board  could  neither  furnish  aid  nor  a  min- 
ister to  take  care  of  the  field."  Thus  because  of  the  poverty  of  our 
church  in  both  men  and  money  our  opportunity  to  plant  a  church 
in  this  section  in  the  earlier  days  passed  unimproved,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  witness  other  denominations  build  up  with  our  mater- 
ial.    However  in   1883-4  the  Synodical   pressure  on  the    Mission 


ST.   MARKS  CHURCH,   EMPORIA. 


77 


Board  to  send  a  man  into  this  city  became  so  imperious  that  the 
Board  acted,  commissioning  Rev.  J.  A.  Hartman,  of  Lamertine,  Pa., 
as  missionary,  who  began  his  work  in  June,  1884.  He  held  services 
every  two  weeks  in  the  Reformed  church,  morning  and  evening, 
and  shortly  afterward  organized  a  church,  electing  as  Elders,  J. 
Fulmer  and  Wm.  W.  Kremer,  and  Deacons,  Alfred  Nicholas  and 
George  H.  Bainer.  Rev.  Hartman  not  liking  the  West  resigned 
after  a  short  stay  of  five  months  and  returned  to  Pennsylvania.  In 
April  the  following  year  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  F.  D.  Altman, 
of  Tippecanoe  City,  O.,  as  missionary,  who  began  operations  June 
1st.  It  was  soon  evident  that  a  man  was  now  at  the  helm  who 
would  stick  to  the  work.  On  the  21st  the  congregation  was  reor- 
ganized with  the  following  members:  Rev.  F.  D.  Altman,  pastor, 
Mrs.  F.  D.  Altman,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  H.  Bainer,  Mrs.  C.  Boory, 
Amanda  Boory,  L.  T.  Boory,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  Fulmer,  Mrs.  J.  C. 


st.  mark's  church. 

Helt,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  W.  Kremer,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  Nicholas,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  M.  F.  Rinker,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  W.  M.  Sparr,  Mrs.  E.  Shep- 
herd, and  three  children,  confirmed  the  same  day,  Charles  and  Amy 
Sparr  and  Jacob  Boory. 

A  Sunday  School  was  organized  on  June  14th,   1885.     The  Re- 
formed church  was  again  rented  and  services  held  twice  every  Sun- 


78  ST.   MARK'S   CHURCH,   EMPORIA. 

day  and  on  Wednesday  evenings.  This  congregation  was  admitted 
into  Kansas  Synod  the  following  October.  On  the  16th  of  Novem- 
ber two  very  desirable  lots  100  by  140  feet,  were  purchased  for 
SI, 500,  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  granting  a  loan  in  the  sum 
of  $600.  While  the  young  congregation  was  paying  for  its  lots  it 
was  growing  and  husbanding  its  strength  for  the  erection  of  a 
building.  In  the  following  fall  ground  was  broken  and  the  founda- 
tion laid.  In  the  meantime  the  ladies  were  working  for  a  fund  to 
carpet  the  new  church,  the  young  people  were  doing  the  same  for 
the  chancel  furniture,  and  the  children  for  the  organ.  The  corner- 
stone was  laid  on  the  10th  of  April,  1888,  after  a  number  of  delays 
occasioned  by  copious  rains,  said  to  have  been  the  finest  and  most 
helpful  rains  in  three  years.  Thus  the  foundation  of  this  mission 
was  consecrated  in  a  gracious  baptism  and  "showers  of  blessing." 
Revs.  S.  B.  Barnitz  and  W.  M.  Sparr  delivered  the  sermons.  The 
plans  called  for  a  substantial  structure  56  by  74  feet  built  of 
dressed  stone.  The  building  was  brought  under  roof  that  fall, 
floored  and  seated  with  chairs,  but  was  unplastered.  Here  the  first 
service  was  held  on  the  9th  of  September.  One  year  later  the 
building  having  been  completed,  was  dedicated  November  3d,  Rev. 
George  A.  Bowers,  preaching  the  sermon.  Western  Secretary 
Barnitz,  in  one  of  his  reports,  described  this  church  as  "  a  very 
gem  of  beauty  and  strength,  being  built  of  stone  with  great  care 
and  marked  economy."  The  building  is  Gothic  in  architecture 
with  a  commodious  auditorium  sealed  overhead,  and  a  lecture  room, 
pastor's  study  and  primary  room.  The  Board  of  Church  Extension 
in  addition  to  its  lot  loan  granted  a  loan  of  $2,400  on  the  building. 
It  also  gave  a  donation  of  $534.75.  The  church  soon  cleared  away 
all  debts  incurred  in  this  building  with  the  exception  of  the  loans 
mentioned.  The  carrying  out  to  so  triumphant  an  end  the  erection 
of  this  beautiful  building  reflects  great  credit  on  the  zeal  and  good 
judgment  of  the  pastor.  Rev.  Altman  resigned  April  18th,  1890, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  S.  G.  Dornblaser  on  June  1st  the  same 
year,  who  remained  with  the  mission  four  years.  During  the  years 
1895-6-7  the  mission  was  supplied  by  Rev.  G.  A.  Bowers.  In  Nov- 
ember the  latter  year  Rev.  G.  C.  Cromer  was  called,  remaining 
but  eleven  months.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  C.  E.  Wirick  who 
remained  two  years.  On  the  31st  of  March,  1901,  Rev.  Henry  Zim- 
merman, took  charge,  serving  until  March  25,  1906.  On  the  1st  of 
January,  1907,  Rev.  G.  G.  Clark,  the  present  pastor,  assumed  the 
pastorate. 

A  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  organized 


Christ's  church,  eureka.  79 

in  1885  which  has  continued  down  to  the  present  time  a  very  use- 
ful factor  in  the  congregation.  The  church  became  self-sustaining 
June  1,  1894,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Dornblaser.  Its  loans 
from  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  having  become  due,  it  has 
been  loyally  attempting  to  pay  the  same  off  in  installments.  At  the 
present  writing  there  remains  yet  a  balance  on  these  loans  unpaid 
of  $2,100.  The  church  reports  75  communicant  members,  a  good 
Sunday  School,  Young  People's  Society,  and  property  to  the  value 
of  SI 3,500. 

In  1907  a  beautiful  Altar  and  Baptismal  Font  were  installed,  also, 
a  reading  desk,  when  the  church  resolved  that  its  pastor  should 
wear  the  historic  Lutheran  vestments.  It  has  taken  the  initiation 
in  this  respect  among  the  Kansas  Synod  English  speaking  churches. 


EUREKA,  CHRIST'S. 

The  beginning  of  the  Lutheran  church  in  Eureka  dates  from  the 
arrival  in  that  city  of  the  family  of  Jacob  Rizer,  who  came  from 
Cumberland,  Maryland,  in  1871.  Mr.  Rizer  was  a  man  of  advanced 
age  and  had  been  all  his  life  an  active  member  of  the  Lutheran 
church.  He  had  come  to  Kansas  to  spend  the  evening  of  his  days 
because  his  children  had  all  come,  and  he  at  once  set  himself  to 
work  to  provide  for  his  children  and  his  children's  children  a  church 
home.  Several  other  Lutheran  families  arrived  during  the  same 
year  and  these  with  some  already  on  the  ground  were  gathered 
together  by  Mr.  Rizer,  after  repeated  efforts,  and  on  October  26. 
1873,  an  organization  was  effected  with  seven  charter  members. 
These  were  Jacob  Rizer,  A.  B.  Norberg,  S.  A.  Peterson,  Jacob  Knud- 
sen,  J.  M.  Seidel  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Geo.  W.  Wright.  Just  why 
there  were  so  few  at  this  initial  service  does  not  appear.  Of  these, 
all  but  the  first  two  are  still  living  and  are  members  of  the.  con- 
gregation. 

Mr.  Rizer  was  at  this  time  already  71  years  of  age.  His  was  the 
first  name  on  the  charter  roll  and  he  was  elected  the  first  Elder. 
He  was  untiring  in  his  efforts  and  seemed  incapable  of  discourage- 
ment. There  were  years  of  disappointed  hopes  before  him  and  it 
was  not  until  ten  years  later  that  he  saw  the  desire  of  his  heart  in 
the  erection  of  a  church  building,  and  this  octogenarian  was  the 
most  active  and  enthusiastic  person  connected  with  the  enterprise. 
He  was  privileged  to  enjoy  this  church  home  for  more  than  four- 


80 


Christ's  church,  eureka. 


teen  years,  and  was  buried  from  it  in  1879  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
six  years. 

The  first  Lutheran  minister  to  visit  Eureka  was  the  Rev.  T.  W. 
Sargent,  an  aged  pastor  who  lived  at  Emporia  and  was  doing  work 


Christ's  church. 


as  "missionary  in  southern  Kansas,"  largely  at  his  own  expense 
and  long  before  railroads  entered  the  district.  At  the  invitation  of 
the  newly  organized  congregation  at  Eureka  he  visited  them  sev- 
eral times  during  the  latter  part  of  1873,  and  for  six  months  begin- 
ning February,  1874,  preached  for  them  regularly  in  a  school  house, 
driving  from  Emporia,  a  distance  of  over  fifty  miles  each  way. 
Immediately  when  regular  services  began  new  members  were  re- 
ceived, and  at  a  service  held  February  15,  1874,  twenty-eight  names 
were  added  to  the  roll.  On  account  of  age  and  infirmity  these  long 
trips  soon  had  to  be  given  up  by  pastor  Sargent.  However  with 
his  lay  delegate,  Jacob  Rizer,  he  carried  the  application  of  this  in- 
fant congregation  to  Synod  at  Abilene,  October,  1874,  and  was  form- 


Christ's  church,  eureka. 


81 


ally  admitted.  Pastor  Sargent  died  as  the  result  of  an  accident  on 
the  5th  of  February  following.  That  same  year  Mr.  Rizer  attended 
a  meeting  of  the  General  Synod  at  Baltimore,  where  he  made  an 
eloquent  plea  for  the  appointment  of  a  missionary  for  Eureka.  This 
was  before  the  days  of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions  and  such  mat- 
ters were  largely  attended  to  by  the  General  Synod  in  convention, 
but  at  this  time  it  had  neither  a  man  nor  money  for  Eureka.  Mr. 
Rizer  was  assured  that  if  the  congregation  would  secure  a  pastor 
some  help  would  be  forthcoming  toward  his  support.  The  Rev. 
A.  E.  Gift  was  called  from  the  Seminary  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  but 
after  a  pastorate  of  six  months  he  resigned. 

The  Rev.  L.  C.  Groseclose  undertook  the  work  of  this  charge  in 
February,  1877.  On  his  arrival  he  found  a  rather  discouraging  out- 
look. But  little  wonder!  This  congregation  had  been  in  existence 
four  years  and  of  that  time  had  a  resident  pastor  only  six  months, 
and  for  another  six  months  only  occasional  services.  The  meet- 
ings were  held  in  an  abandoned  store-room  in  Eureka  and  in  two 
school  houses  in  the  country.     The  congregation  now  claimed  the 


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PARSONAGE. 


promise  of  the  General  Synod  to  assist  in  the  support  of  the  pastor 
and  aid  was  given  in  the  sum  of  $250  dating  from    April,    1877. 
Pastor  Groseclose's  health  failed  and  he  resigned  in  July,  1879. 
Then   followed  another  interim  without  a  pastor,  this  time   for 


82 


CHRIST'S   CHURCH,   EUREKA. 


three  years.  In  1882 
the  Rev.  M.  F.  Troxell 
was  called.  A  wonder- 
ful impetus  was  given 
the  work  by  the  hope  of 
securing  a  regular  pas- 
tor again  and  before  his 
arrival  steps  were  taken 
toward  building,  and 
after  his  arrival  the 
work  was  rapidly  push- 
ed to  completion.  Dr. 
Barnitz  visited  the  con- 
gregation about  this 
time  and  promised  a  do- 
nation from  the  Board 
of  $300  toward  the 
building.  A  frame  struc- 
ture was  erected,  35  by 
55,  costing  $3,250,  on  a 
lot  donated  by  Mrs. 
Julia  B.  Barger,  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  Rizer. 
In  September,  1882,  the 
feast  of  dedication  was 
held,  the  Rev.  Dr.  F.  W.  Conrad  preaching  the  sermon.  Over  $1,400 
was  raised  on  the  day  of  dedication,  more  than  enough  to  complete 
the  payment  for  the  work,  and  the  unusual  feature  of  the  day  was 
the  return  to  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  of  their  draft  for  $300 
unused.     One  year  later  Kansas  Synod  met  in  this  church. 

Immediately  after  the  completion  of  the  church  a  parsonage  was 
started  and  finished  like  the  church,  without  debt.  A  church  bell 
was  procured  through  contributions  from  personal  friends  of  the 
pastor  and  in  his  honor  was  hung  and  dedicated.  In  March,  1884, 
pastor  Troxell  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by  The  Rev.  H.  Max 
Lentz,  who  served  the  congregation  but  one  year.  He  was  follovved 
by  the  Rev.  W.  M.  Sparr  who  built  up  the  church  in  influence  in  the 
community  during  the  eight  years  of  faithful  service. 

The  Rev.  R.  B.  Wolf  took  charge  August  1,  1894,  continuing  for 
eight  years,  resigning  November  8,  1902.  During  the  latter's  pas- 
torate a  pipe  organ  costing  $1,100  was  installed.  The  organ  is  a 
memorial  to  Miss  Louise  J.  Errickson  an  esteemed  member  of  the 


REV.   L.  C.  GROSCLOSE. 


st.  paul's  church,  garnett.  83 

congregation,  who  died  about  that  time,  and  was  contributed  large- 
ly by  her  immediate  family  and  friends.  The  church  was  also  re- 
modeled at  an  additional  cost  of  $1,250  and  memorial  art  glass 
windows  inserted,  one  of  them  fittingly  inscribed  to  Jacob  Rizer. 
The  auditorium  though  small  is  large  enough  for  the  purposes  of 
the  congregation  and  is  one  of  the  most  chaste  and  churchly  in  the 
Synod.  The  Rev.  D.  H.  Cramer  took  charge  January  23,  1903  and 
resigned  August  31,  1906.  He  was  succeeded  in  June,  1907  by  the 
present  incumbent  Rev.  Oliver  MacWilliams.  There  are  now  about 
70  communicants. 


GARNETT,  ST.  PAUL'S. 

Among  the  early  Lutherans  who  came  to  Anderson  county  was 
Mr.  Peter  Engleman,  who  warmly  cherished  the  hope  that  the 
Lutherans  in  and  about  the  thriving  little  town  of  Garnett,  might 
have  a  church  home  of  their  own  faith.  Finding  others  sharing  his 
longing,  he  opened  correspondence  with  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz,  West- 
ern Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions,  asking  that  a  mis- 
sionary be  sent  to  open  operations  in  Garnett.  The  place  was  vis- 
ited by  Rev.  J.  N.  Lenker,  Western  Secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Church  Extension,  and  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser,  Synodical  Mission- 
ary of  Kansas  Synod.  The  names  of  Lutheran  families  residing  in 
the  place  were  carefully  collated.  The  result  materialized  in  the 
organization  of  St.  Paul's  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Garnett  at  a 
meeting  held  on  the  10th  of  August,  1890.  A  couple  of  months 
later  the  new  organization  was  formally  admitted  as  a  part  of  Kan- 
sas Synod.  The  mission  not  being  able  to  sustain  a  pastor,  it  was 
advised  to  seek  an  arrangement  whereby  the  pastor  at  Ottawa 
might  serve  both  points.  This  was  consumated  and  Rev.  J.  F. 
Scherer  was  called  as  pastor  taking  charge  December  the  same 
year.  The  congregation  immediately  began  to  plan  for  a  church 
home.  A  well  located  lot  was  selected,  and  the  Board  of  Church 
Extension  was  solicited  for  a  loan  and  a  donation.  The  sum  of 
$600  was  loaned  and  $200,  donated.  The  lot  cost  $1,000  upon 
which  the  loan  and  donation  were  expended,  leaving  but  very  lit- 
tle with  which  to  begin  building.  Plans  were  adopted  calling  for 
a  brick  Gothic  structure,  30  by  60  feet,  and  the  foundation  was  at 
once  put  in,  but  the  people  again  found  themselves  out  of  funds. 
However  they  pressed  bravely  on,  laying  the  corner  stone  for  the 
superstructure  on  the  30th  of  May,  1891,  when  the  Synodical  Mis- 


84 


REV.    H.   A.   OTT,   D.   D. 


REV.    B.    R.    LANTZ. 


REV.    A.    E.    RENN.  REV.   J.    M.   CROMER,    D.    D.        REV.    F.    BERGSTRESSER. 


▲\k 


REV.    CEO.    S.    MURPHY. 


REV.    C.    F.    WEIST. 


ST.   PAUL'S  CHURCH,  GARNETT.  85 

sionary,  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser  gave  the  address.  At  this  time  a 
supplemental  loan  of  $200  was  made  from  the  Church  Extension 
Board.  The  heavy  debt  incurred  greatly  distressed  the  congregation 
and  was  a  fruitful  source  of  contention,  so  much  so  that  the  pastor 
resigned  that  spring.  The  building  remained  for  a  year  incom- 
plete. In  June,  1892,  Rev.  J.  N.  Lentz  assumed  charge  and  at  once 
began  the  work  of  completing  the  building.  The  prospect  gave  new 
life  to  the  disheartened  congregation.  On  the  4th  of  December  the 
building  was  complete  enough  for  use  and  was  accordingly  dedicat- 
ed. The  pastor  was  assisted  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Clutz,  D.  D.,  and  Rev. 
S.  B.  Barnitz,  D.  D.,  and  the  occasion  was  one  of  great  joy  to  the 
Garnett  people.  Dr.  Barnitz  conducted  the  plea  for  funds  and  $500 
were  secured  in  cash  and  subscriptions.  The  structure  is  substan- 
tial and  commodious,  well  worthy  of  the  noble  efforts  of  the  con- 
gregation and  their  friends  in  the  city.  However  a  heavy  debt  re- 
mained on  the  building.  They  owed  the  Board  $800  without  inter- 
est, a  local  loan  from  Mr.  J.  F.  Furguson  of  $600,  at  7  per  cent  in- 
terest, and  a  loan  from  the  Anderson  county  Bank,  for  $310  run- 
ning at  ten  per  cent.  The  last  named  was  a  loan  for  unpaid  pas- 
tor's salary.  The  building  all  told  had  cost  $4,675.  The  pastor 
bravely  carried  the  work  on  year  after  year,  gradually  completing 
his  building  and  equipping  it.  When  he  resigned  in  June,  1895, 
the  mission  had  a  membership  of  28  and  a  debt  of  $1,650.  The 
next  pastor  was  Rev.  J.  B.  Umberger,  who  assumed  charge  in 
August.  He  at  once  set  himself  to  the  task  of  raising  the  bank 
debt  for  unpaid  salary,  and  after  a  hard  pull  succeded.  During  his 
pastorate  pews  were  placed  in  the  church,  a  good  chandelier  and 
other  appointments  very  much  needed.  In  the  fall  of  1898  Rev. 
Umberger  resigned  and  was  succeeded  in  April  following  by  Rev. 
J.  L.  Hammond.  The  latter  remained  but  one  year.  He  was  fol- 
lowed by  Rev.  J.  F.  Petticrew  in  December,  1900,  who  also  re- 
mained but  one  year.  A  congregation  having  been  organized  at 
Bush  City,  that  church  and  Garnett  were  united  in  a  charge  and 
Rev.  N.  W.  Lilly  became  pastor  at  the  opening  of  1903.  After 
serving  them  eleven  months  he  resigned  and  the  charge  was  vacant 
for  a  year.  In  the  opening  of  1905  Rev.  B.  F.  Pugh  was  commis- 
sioned missionary  and  took  up  the  work  and  is  the  present  incum- 
bent. This  church  has  been  aided  continuously  ever  since  its  or- 
ganization by  the  Mission  Board,  never  having  really  gotten  on  its 
feet.  At  the  present  time  it  has  a  debt  of  $1,300,  and  $500  of  this 
is  interest  bearing.  It  has  25  members  and  a  property  valued  at 
S5,200.  While  it  has  a  young  people's  society  it  never  has  had  a 
missionary  society. 


86  st.  paul's  church,  glasco. 

GARNETT,  GRACE,    (Haskell.) 

Early  in  the  year  1902  Rev.  J.  F.  Petticrew  of  Garnett  began  to 
hold  occasional  services  in  a  school  house  at  Bush  City  some  six 
or  seven  miles  southeast  of  Garnett.  On  the  5th  of  October  that 
year  with  the  assistance  of  Rev.  N.  W.  Lilly,  he  organized  Grace 
Lutheran  church,  with  the  following  charter  members:  Daniel 
Smith,  Mrs.  Mary  Smith,  W.  H.  Smith,  Mrs.  Mabel  Smith,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  H.  K.  Fearing,  John  Hapgood,  Emma  Hapgood,  M.  Matilda 
Myers,  Max  Myers,  Martha  Myers,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  Doll,  Anna 
Doll  and  Will  Doll.  A  constitution  was  adopted  and  the  following 
officers  elected:  Elders,  Daniel  Smith  and  M.  Doll,  Deacons,  W.  L. 
Fearing  and  W.  H.  Smith.  The  church  was  connected  with  the 
Garnett  pastorate,  and  was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  the  same 
fall.  Rev.  Petticrew  served  them  until  December.  Following  him 
Rev.  N.  W.  Lilly  served  them  for  one  year.  After  a  period  of  va- 
cancy Rev.  B.  F.  Pugh  began  to  preach  for  them  every  two  weeks 
and  still  supplies  the  pulpit.  The  church  at  present  has  scarcely 
a  dozen  members. 


GLASCO,  ST.  PAUL'S. 

In  1876  Rev.  William  C.  Seidel  resigned  his  pastorate  at  Davis, 
Illinois,  with  the  thought  of  doing  missionary  work  in  Kansas.  In 
April  that  year  he  located  at  Minneapolis,  in  Ottawa  county,  and 
began  preaching  in  the  various  school  houses  wherever  opportunity 
was  afforded.  He  was  able  to  do  this  owing  to  the  generosity  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Wolfensperger  of  Sterling,  Ills.,  who  furnished 
the  financial  help.  This  movement  originated  in  the  warm  heart 
of  this  aged  and  devout  couple  whose  love  for  the  church  prompted 
them  to  place  a  missionary  in  Kansas.  Twenty  miles  to  the  north 
of  Minneapolis  is  the  little  town  of  Glasco,  and  here  was  located 
a  goodly  German  settlement.  Rev.  Seidel  being  able  to  speak  in 
both  tongues  began  to  preach  in  the  school  houses  and  the  homes 
of  these  Germans  where  his  services  were  welcomed.  These  pious 
people  although  they  did  not  have  a  pastor  were,  accustomed  to  meet 
in  each  others'  homes  on  the  Lord's  day,  when  one  of  their  number 
would  read  to  them  a  German  sermon  and  conduct  a  brief  prayer 
service.  Pioneer  work  here  soon  materialized  in  a  desire  to  organ- 
ize a  church.  After  a  year's  ministrations  this  was  realized  on  the 
8th  of  April,  in  the  old  school  house  diagonally  across  the  street 


ST.   PAUL  S  CHURCH,  GLASCO. 


87 


from  the  present  church  site,  and  St.  Paul's  church  became  a  real- 
ity. Among  these  organizers  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  Grittman, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  Dershner,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Horn,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Martin  Hersher,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Krenkle,  and  Mr.  Philip 


ST.   PAULS   CHURCH    AND   PARSONAGE. 


Studt.  After  occupying  the  school  house  for  a  season  the  services 
were  transferred  to  the  Presbyterian  church  and  held  in  the  after- 
noons. On  the  18th  of  May,  1878,  Rev.  J.  Bond  succeeded  Rev. 
Seidel,  serving  the  church  until  October,  1881.  After  that  for  sev- 
eral years  the  church  was  without  a  pastor,  being  served  by  Revs. 
Seidel  and  John  A.  Bright  as  supplies.  In  the  fall  of  1885  Rev. 
J.  G.  Trefz  was  called,  remaining  as  pastor  the  following  nine 
years.  In  the  winter  of  1892-3  the  congregation  decided  to  build 
a  church.  A  visit  from  Rev.  John  N.  Lenker  had  inspired  them  to 
buy  a  lot  and  proceed  to  make  for  themselves  a  church  home. 
Ground  was  broken  in  the  spring  of  1893.  The  plans  called  for  a 
frame  structure  30  by  50  feet,  with  a  tower  and  bell,  and  vestibule 
in  the  corner.  The  auditorium  was  seated  with  rich  oak  pews. 
The  dedication  took  place  on  the  19th  of  November,  1893,  Rev.  J.  F. 
Sponseller  preaching  the  sermon,  assisted  by  Rev.  J.  N.  Lenker. 
The  cost  of  the  building  including  the  furnishings  was  S3,000,  and 
all  debt  was  provided  for  on  the  day  of  dedication.  It  was  a  great 
day  of  joy  to  both  pastor  and  people.     Noteworthy,  it  may  be  re- 


88  TRINITY   CHURCH,,  GREENLEAF. 

marked  just  here,  that  while  this  church  was  full  of  joy  over  its 
acquisition,  Zion's  Lutheran  church  at  Whitewater,  the  same  day, 
was  passing  through  the  deep  waters,  its  building  having  burned  to 
the  ground. 

Shortly  after  the  dedication  the  church  took  out  incorporation 
papers  signed  by  the  names  of  the  trustees,  Charles  Horn,  Jacob 
Studt,  Charles  Henning,  Adam  Studt,  and  August  Pinkall.  During 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Trefz  the  church  was  connected  with  Zion's 
of  Beloit  as  a  pastoral  charge.  In  the  spring  of  1894  a  Sunday 
school  was  organized  which  has  continued  "green"  to  the  present 
time.  In  the  fall  of  1894  Rev.  Trefz  resigned  and  during  the  two 
following  years  the  church  was  supplied,  mostly  by  Rev.  John  A. 
Bright.  In  May,  1896  Rev.  Julius  Paetznick  took  charge,  remain- 
ing until  July,  1897.  During  the  following  three  years  Rev.  E.  F. 
Hantel  was  pastor.  In  April,  1901,  Rev.  E.  V.  Nusbaum  became 
pastor,  serving  until  October  of  the  following  year.  In  February, 
1903,  Rev.  S.  Knudten  was  called,  remaining  one  year.  On  the 
1st  of  August,  1904,  Rev.  R.  P.  Schimmelpfennig,  Ph.  D.,  the  pres- 
ent pastor,  took  charge.  In  1903  a  comfortable  parsonage  of  seven 
rooms  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $1,600  and  with  no  debt.  The  ser- 
vices at  the  present  alternate  in  English  and  German.  From  its 
organization  the  church  has  been  without  synodical  relation,  choos- 
ing to  remain  independent,  but  it  has  been  served  by  General  Synod 
pastors.  In  1893  it  applied  for  admission  into  Kansas  Synod  and 
was  duly  admitted.  The  church  at  present  has  120  communicant 
members  and  property  valued  at  $5,000  with  no  indebtedness.  It 
has  the  distinction  of  being  one  of  the  very  few  churches  in  Kan- 
sas Synod  which  never  received  any  aid  from  either  the  Home  Mis- 
sion or  Church  Extension  Boards,  if  we  except  the  voluntary  ser- 
vice of  Secretary  Lenker.  The  church  has  a  cemetery  of  its  own 
near  Glasco. 


GREENLEAF,  TRINITY. 

Trinity  Ev.  Lutheran  church  was  organized  in  a  school  house  in 
Greenleaf,  by  Rev.  J.  Schauer  in  1882.  Securing  a  loan  of  $300 
from  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  he  at  once  began  the  erection 
of  a  church,  frame  in  structure,  30  by  50  feet,  to  cost  $1,700.  This 
building  was  dedicated  on  the  2nd  of  September,  1883,  Rev.  S.  B. 
Barnitz  preaching  the  sermon.  There  were  present  also  Revs.  A. 
Lane,  D.  Harbaugh,  F.  R.  Scherer,  H.  Heigert,  and  the  pastor.   This 


ST.  JOHN'S  GERMAN   CHURCH,  CREENLEAF. 


89 


REV.  JACOB  SCHAUER. 


TRINITY   CHURCH. 


was  the  first  church  erected  in  the  town.  All  money  needed  was 
raised  on  the  day  of  dedication  excepting  $200.  The  congregation 
was  received  into  Kansas  Synod  the  same  fall  and  was  connected 
with  the  churches  at  Barnes  and  Waterville  as  a  pastoral  charge. 
In  1885  it  was  separated  from  the  Waterville  church  and  in  1891 
for  a  while  it  was  connected  with  the  church  at  Washington,  Kan- 
sas. For  a  list  of  the  pastors  see  the  sketch  of  the  church  at 
Barnes.  In  1906  the  church  at  Barnes  was  abandoned  and  Trinity 
church  was  connected  with  St.  Paul's,  a  German  church  at  Green- 
leaf  and  an  independent  German  church  in  the  country,  all  three 
churches  being  served  by  Rev.  R.  Richter.  The  church  has  40 
members  and  property  valued  at  $2,500. 


GREENLEAF,  ST.  JOHN'S  GERMAN  LUTHERAN. 

St.  John's  German  Lutheran  church  was  organized  in  1876,  in  a 
section  of  country  at  that  time  but  sparsely  settled.  Some  four 
miles  west  of  Greenleaf  a  number  of  German  families  had  ob- 
tained homes  in  that  then  new  country.    Althought  they  were  scat- 


90  st.  paul's  german-english,  greenleaf. 

tered  over  a  wide  section,  that  did  not  deter  them  from  holding  a 
German  service  whenever  they  could  secure  a  preacher.  Among 
the  first  to  officiate  for  them  was  Rev.  J.  G.  Groenmiller  then 
preaching  at  Hanover.  The  services  were  held  in  the  "Bell"  school 
house.  After  a  period  of  supplies  by  ministers,  some  of  which 
were  independent  in  their  synodical  relation,  Rev.  Groenmiller  ar- 
ranged with  them  to  hold  services  regularly.  1888  lots  were  se- 
cured in  the  town  of  Greenleaf,  upon  which  they  decided  to  erect 
a  church.  Cornerstone  was  laid  on  the  5th  of  August  that  year, 
Rev.  O.  L.  Luschei  being  their  pastor.  The  dedication  took  place 
early  the  following  year  when  the  pastor  was  assisted  by  Rev.  J. 
G.  Groenmiller.  The  building  cost  $1200,  and  was  dedicated  free 
of  debt.  On  this  dedication  day  a  parsonage  was  presented  to  the 
congregation,  the  gift  of  Messrs,  H.  Hattesohl,  D.  Lane,  F.  Lane, 
D.  Nuttlemann,  C.  Hink,  and  F.  Oestreich.  These  brethren  had 
purchased  this  private  home  and  in  turning  it  over  to  the  church 
on  that  festal  day  made  glad  both  the  heart  of  pastor  and  people. 
Later  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  L.  Horn  two  rooms  were  added 
to  the  parsonage,  the  labor  for  the  same  being  donated  by  various 
members  of  the  church  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  H.  Hattesohl, 
the  son  of  Mr.  F.  Hattesohl,  who  had  superintended  the  erection 
of  the  church.  At  the  present  time  this  congregation  has  an  ar- 
rangement with  Trinity  church  of  the  same  town,  to  have  the  same 
pastor  serve  them  although  the  charge  is  not  united  in  any  specific 
way.  The  congregation  has  a  membership  of  fifty.  Its  pastors 
have  been  Revs.  C.  Gade,  .  .  Hafenstein,  H.  Schwartz,  O.  L. 
Luschei,  C.  Henning,  L.  Horn,  G.  Endrulet,  and  R.  Richter.  At 
present  the  church  has  no  synodical  connection. 


GREENLEAF,  ST.  PAUL'S  GERMAN-ENGLISH. 

This  church  is  located  in  Logan  township  four  miles  from  Wash- 
ington, Kansas,  where  a  sprinkling  of  Germans  attracted  Rev.  J.  G. 
Groenmiller  on  his  rounds  of  missionary  labor,  and  where  he  or- 
ganized St.  Paul's  church  in  1879,  with  a  membership  of  about 
eighteen.  Shortly  afterward  they  worshipped  in  the  Watermann 
school  house.  In  1906  the  congregation  concluded  to  build  a 
church.  The  soul  of  this  movement  was  Mrs.  M.  Stamm,  a  lady 
who  had  been  deaf  for  about  twenty  years,  and  one  who  loved  the 
church  dearly.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  October  14,  1906,  and 
the  structure  dedicated  June  23,  1907,  Revs.  H.  L.  Yarger,  D.  D., 
K.  Klinger  and  J.   G.   Groenmiller  assisting  the   pastor    Rev.    R. 


UNION    CHURCH,    HARDY,    NEBRASKA.  91 

Richter  in  the  services.  The  structure  cost  $2,000  and  is  free  of 
debt.  Its  present  membership  is  32.  Prior  to  1905  it  had  been 
served  in  the  German  language,  but  since  then  partly  in  English. 
It  has  always  been  connected  in  a  pastoral  charge  with  St.  John's 
church  in  Greenleaf,  and  has  had  the  same  succession  of  pastors 
as  that  church  has  had.  Its  pastor  usually  belonged  to  the  German 
synod  of  Nebraska.  For  a  long  time  it  was  independent  of  synod- 
ical  relation,  but  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  R.  Richter  it  was 
enrolled  in  Kansas  Synod. 


HARDY,  NEBRASKA,  UNION. 

This  congregation  was  organized  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Lowe  while  he 
was  serving  the  White  Rock  Charge  in  Kansas.  When  the  Bur- 
lington and  Missouri  river  railroad  was  pushed  through  and  the 
town  of  Hardy  was  laid  out,  so  anxious  was  Rev.  Lowe  to  get  a 
Lutheran  church  located  there  that  he  took  $50  out  of  his  meager 
salary  of  $300  per  year  and  purchased  the  lot,  and  in  1881  organ- 
ized the  Union  Ev.  Lutheran  church,  which  was  received  into  Kan- 
sas Synod  the  same  year.  With  a  nucleus  of  $400  received  from 
the  Smicksburg  charge  in  Pennsylvania,  he  began  the  erection  of 
a  building  which  was  completed  and  dedicated  in  May,  1883,  with 
all  indebtedness  provided  for  in  good  subscriptions.  Dr.  F.  W. 
Conrad  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon.  Rev.  Lowe  was  followed 
in  1885  by  Rev.  J.  E.  Maurer,  who  in  1891  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
Jonas  Freet.  In  1894  Rev.  P.  J.  Spraker  took  charge.  Rev.  C.  J. 
Ringer  took  charge  in  1895  when  the  congregation,  in  connection 
with  the  Jewell  City  church,  and  the  NuckalPs  Co.  Bethel  church, 
were  received  into  Nebraska  Synod,  as  a  charge,  one  congregation 
being  in  Kansas  and  the  other  in  Nebraska  and  the  members  living 
on  both  sides  of  the  state  line. 

The  Hardy  church  is  valued  at  $3,000,  and  has  sixty-two  mem- 
bers. A  new  church  costing  $5,000  has  been  recently  built  under 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Roy  Marion  Badger.  The  church  was  dedicat- 
ed in  January,  1907. 


HAYS,  TRINITY. 
The  founding  of  a  Lutheran  church  at  Hays  City  has  some  feat- 
ures which  cannot  be  said  of  any  other  of  our  Kansas  churches. 
It  was  organized  and  erected  its  church  building  before  it  called 
a  pastor.  The  pioneer  work  was  done  by  Judge  D.  C.  Nellis,  who 
had  come   from  Palatine  Bridge,   N.  Y.,  settling  in   Hays  City  in 


92 


TRINITY    CHURCH,    HAYS. 


1873.  He  brought  with  him  a  warm  love  for  his  church.  Being 
Judge  of  the  District  Court  he  possessed  considerable  influence  in 
the  new  town  of  Hays.  He  set  himself  to  the  task  of  organizing 
a  Lutheran  church  there  as  the  place  was  poorly  churched  from  a 
Protestant  standpoint.  After  a  canvass  of  the  place  was  made, 
Rev.  A.  J.  Hartsock  of  Salina  was  invited  to  complete  the  organiza- 
tion which  was  accomplished  on  the  10th  of  November,  1878,  with 
the  following  forty-eight  charter  members:  D.  C.  Nellis,  E.  V.  M. 
Nellis,  H.  Grueger,  Martha  Grueger,  M.  G.  Huntington,  Amelia 
Huntington,  John  T.  Huntington,  John  Fogel,  Henry  Reemsnyder, 
Charles  Wentz,  Lewis  E.  Frank,  H.  D.  Shaffer,  Addie  Shaffer,  S.  M. 
Yost,  Sallie  T.  Yost,  Kate  Miller,  Louise  Boun,  Jennie  Seipe,  Henry 
O'Shant,  Fred  Krueger,  Stella  Robins,  I.  F.  Eggars,  T.  B.  Garner, 
Ella  Jane,  Henry  M.  Schall,  Eva  C.  Kinney,  Edgar  S.  Beach,  Mary 
A.  Beach,  Annie  Gilkerson,  J.  B.  Milner,  Eva  Osterstock,  Ruth  E. 
Christian,  Jane  E.  Carl,  Emma  Ake,  May  E.  Schmucker,  R.  B. 
Spitler,  Sue  Spitler,  Jacob  Moser,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Downing,  Mrs.  Jacob 
Moser,  May  Bailey,  A.  D.  Bailey,  Mrs.  A.  D.  Bailey,  J.  L.  Ginther, 
Jacob  Fogle,  Savilla  Fogle,  and  Kate  Fogle. 

A  building  committee  was 
at  once  appointed,  lots  pur- 
chased, and  plans  adopted 
for  the  erection  of  a  frame 
chapel  28  by  40  feet  with 
a  small  belfrey.  The  build- 
ing was  completed  in  the 
fall  of  1879  and  furnished 
with  handsome  pews  and 
pulpit  furniture,  costing  all 
told  about  $3,000.  The 
Board  of  Church  Extension 
gave  them  a  donation  of 
S125.  On  the  1st  of  Dec- 
ember, 1879,  Rev.  J.  H. 
Harpster  was  called  as 
pastor,  who  began  holding 
services  in  the  new  church. 
However  the  dedication 
was  deferred  until  October 
3d  of  the  following  year,  at 
which  time  the  pastor  was 
trinity  church,  (old.)  assisted     by     Rev.     A.     J. 


TRINITY  CHURCH,  HAYS. 


93 


Kissell  and  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser.  Rev.  Harpster  remained  with 
them  until  the  spring  of  1882.  During  his  pastorate  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Board  assumed  a  part  of  his  support  and  upon  his  resignation 
the  Church  Extension  Board  loaned  the  church  $500  on  their  build- 
ing which  had  not  yet  been  paid  for.  In  November  Rev.  Henry 
Sharp  became  pastor,  remaining  two  years.  During  1884  and  1885 
the  church  was  pastorless,  being  occasionally  supplied.  In  April, 
1886,  Rev.  J.  G.  Graichen  became  pastor  and  remained  less  than 
a  year.  On  May  1,  1887,  Rev.  E.  B.  Killinger  took  charge  remain- 
ing until  November,  1891.  During  the  second  year  of  Rev.  Killin- 
ger's  pastorate  the  congregation  erected  a  parsonage  costing  $1,700 
upon  which  a  mortgage  of  $1,000  was  placed.  Six  years  later  be- 
cause this  mortgage  could  not  lifted  the  property  was  sold.  Rev. 
M.  F.  Good,  a  student  of  the  Gettysburg  Theological  Seminary,  sup- 


trinity  church,   (new.) 


94  ZiON's    CHURCH,    HUTCHINSON. 

plied  them  during  the  summer  of  1892.  Rev.  E.  E.  Shantz,  of  the 
same  school  supplied  them  the  following  summer.  In  June,  1895, 
Rev.  Henry  Zimmerman  became  pastor  remaining  four  years.  He 
was  followed  in  November  1899  by  Rev.  D.  H.  Cramer  who  re- 
mained until  May  1,  1902.  That  same  year  Rev.  J.  F.  Grueger  sup- 
plied them,  during  his  summer  vacation,  and  in  November  Rev.  C. 
F.  Wiest,  the  present  pastor,  took  charge.  After  one  year's  ser- 
vice the  church  assumed  self  support,  having  been  for  many  years 
a  beneficiary  of  the  Home  Mission  Board. 

On  the  17th  of  August,  1902,  the  church  was  struck  by  lightning 
and  burned  to  the  ground,  scarcely  anything  being  saved  from  the 
building.  The  blow  was  a  hard  one  on  the  mission.  They  had 
just  expended  several  hundred  dollars  on  improvements  and  still 
owed  Si 00  on  the  same  when  the  fire  occurred.  They  received 
SI, 500  insurance  and  with  this  sum  as  a  starter  went  bravely  to 
the  work  of  re-building.  The  Church  Extension  Board  came  to 
their  help  with  a  donation  of  $250.  Rev.  Wiest  showed  himself  to 
be  a  worker  not  easily  daunted.  He  came  to  the  church  with  cheer- 
less prospects,  a  pile  of  ashes,  a  $100  debt,  and  $1,500  as  a  nucleus 
for  a  church  building  fund.  However  he  went  to  work  with  a  will. 
Plans  were  adopted  calling  for  a  stone  structure  with  an  auditorium 
40  by  60  feet,  an  annex  28  by  40  feet,  and  a  stone  tower  14  feet 
square  and  52  feet  high.  The  floor  was  inclined,  pews  ordered  of 
dark  oak,  and  windows  of  beautiful  stained  glass,  one  of  the  largest 
of  which  was  furnished  by  the  pastors  of  Kansas  Synod.  The 
building  was  dedicated  on  the  28th  of  February,  1904,  Rev.  Fuller 
Bergstresser  and  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger,  D.  D.,  preaching  the  sermons. 
The  cost  of  the  structure  was  $8,000  on  which  only  a  small  debt  of 
$400  remains.  The  success  of  the  enterprise  reflects  great  credit 
on  the  young  pastor's  efforts.  This  church  organized  a  Woman's 
Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  in  1888  which  existed  for 
six  years.  At  the  present  time  the  congregation  reports  93  members 
and  church  property  valued  at  $10,000. 


HUTCHINSON,  ZION'S. 

The  pioneer  work  in  the  organization  of  Zion's  church  at  Hutch- 
inson, was  done  by  Rev.  J.  N.  Lenker  while  he  was  Special  Repre- 
sentative of  the  Board  of  Church  Extension.  At  various  times  he 
visited  Hutchinson,  gathered  together  a  number  of  Lutheran  fam- 
ilies, preached  to  them  and  strongly  urged    them  to    organize    a 


ZION'S    CHURCH,    HUTCHINSON.  95 

church.  In  1888  he  reported  to  Kansas  Synod  as  follows:  "It  is 
our  conviction  that  there  is  no  more  promising  field  for  this  special 
work  of  the  Board  of  Church  Extension,  than  that  of  Kansas  Synod 
and  our  great  Southwest,  especially  the  Arkansas  Valley,  where 
during  the  past  year  desirable  lots  were  secured  through  us  in 
Wellington,  Hutchinson,  Kinsley  and  Syracuse."  At  the  time  the 
Hutchinson  lot  was  secured  the  boom  was  on  and  prices  were  quite 
high  and  the  lot  obtained  was  not  in  a  very  good  location  and  the 
work  of  collecting  the  money  for  the  same  on  the  ground  was  a 
difficult  task.     The  work  of  Rev.  Lenker  was  followed  up  by  the 


ZION'S   LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 

Home  Mission  Board  commissioning  Rev.  J.  A.  Lowe  as  missionary 
who  entered  the  field  in  October,  1888.  On  the  2nd  of  December 
following  he  organized  Zion's  Ev.  Lutheran  church  with  seventeen 
charter  members.  The  church  was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  in 
the  fall  of  1889.  Rev.  Lowe  at  once  set  himself  to  the  task  of  rais- 
ing money  for  a  building.  Plans  were  adopted  calling  for  a  frame 
chapel,  30  by  50  feet,  to  be  located  on  the  lot  owned  by  the  Church 
Extension  Board.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  on  the  5th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1889,  when  the  pastor  was  assisted  by  Rev.  F.  D.  Altman. 
During  the  winter  the  work  was  pushed  and  by  the  following  spring 


95  BETHEL   CHURCH,,  JERICO. 

it  was  ready  for  occupancy.  The  dedication  took  place  on  the  25th 
of  May  and  the  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Clutz,  D.  D., 
from  Luke  17:5  as  a  text.  Rev.  John  A.  Bright  preached  in  the 
afternoon  and  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser  in  the  evening,  and  Rev.  Wm. 
Sparr,  the  President  of  Kansas  Synod,  conducted  the  consecration 
services.  The  cost  of  the  building  was  $3,253,  with  $865  needed 
on  the  day  of  dedication,  which  was  raised  in  full  at  the  three  ser- 
vices. The  building  is  a  Gothic  structure  30  by  50  feet,  with  a  re- 
cess 6y2  by  \2y2  feet,  and  a  tower  75  feet  high.  The  windows 
were  of  cathedral  glass,  the  ceiling  was  of  corrugated  iron,  and  the 
seating  and  pulpit  furniture  were  rich  and  comfortable.  The  Board 
of  Church  Extension  made  them  a  loan  of  $1,000.  Rev.  Lowe  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  G.  M.  Hursh  in  May,  1891,  who  remained  two 
and  a  half  years.  In  March,  1894,  Rev.  A.  J.  Hesson  became  pas- 
tor. It  was  felt  that  the  church  was  badly  located,  being  on  th2 
edge  of  a  creek,  and  in  an  inferior  locality.  Its  removal  to  a  better 
location  was  agitated.  Two  fine  lots  were  purchased,  and  in  the 
summer  of  1895  and  the  church  was  removed  to  its  present  loca- 
tion. This  necessitated  the  removing  of  the  tower  and  its  rebuild- 
ing. The  church  was  also  overhauled,  repaired  and  improved,  the 
total  cost  being  nearly  $2,600,  of  which  the  Church  Extension 
Board  came  to  the  rescue  with  an  additional  loan  of  $500.  Rev. 
S.  B.  Barnitz  preached  the  sermon  at  the  re-opening,  on  which  oc- 
casion Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  B.  Wherfel  presented  the  church  with  a 
silver  communion  set.  Rev.  Hesson  resigned  in  March,  1896.  After 
this  Rev.  A.  M.  Reitzel  supplied  the  church  for  a  season,  and  in 
the  summer  of  1897  he  became  pastor,  remaining  in  charge  for  the 
following  seven  years.  He  was  succeeded  in  March,  1904,  by  Rev. 
J.  K.  Rizer,  who  remained  till  the  fall  of  1905.  Rev.  F.  S.  Delo  is 
the  present  pastor.  The  church  is  still  a  mission.  It  reports  36 
communicants,  and  church  property  valued  at  $5,000,  with  an  in- 
debtedness of  $1,500.  A  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary 
Society  was  organized  in  1889  which  continues  to  this  day  a  very 
helpful  factor  in  the  benevolent  work  of  the  church. 


JERICO,  BETHEL. 

Prior  to  the  organization  of  Bethel  Lutheran  church  in  Jerico, 
Mo.,  there  had  been  another  which  held  its  synodical  connection 
with  the  English  Synod  of  Missouri  of  the  Synodical  Conference. 
The  membership  became  dissatisfied   with  the  restrictions  of  the 


97 


REV.    I.    B.    HEISEY. 


REV.   S.    M.    LESHER. 


REV.   F.   R.   SHIRCK. 


REV.   F.  S.   DELO. 


hlI^. 


REV.   H.  ZIMMERMAN. 


REV.  G.  G.  CLARK. 


98  BETHEL  CHURCH,  JERICO. 

Misouri  Synod  as  to  close  communion,  non-fellowship  with  other 
churches,  and  other  forms  of  exclusiveness.  They  invited  Rev.  M. 
L.  Melick,  to  visit  them  and  help  them  into  the  General  Synod, 
where  such  exclusiveness  did  not  prevail.  As  the  congregation 
was  worshipping  in  a  school  house  and  did  not  own  any  property, 
it  was  decided  to  reorganize,  which  was  accomplished  in  April, 
1894.  The  principal  families  entering  into  the  movement  were  the 
following:  John  C.  Flohr,  Anton  Klever,  J.  H.  Ekin,  Adam  H.  Mil- 
ler, J.  A.  Johnson,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Jones,  J.  A.  Burnside,  William  Hill, 
T.  N.  Woodruff  and  Elijah  Kirksey. 

During  the  summer  of  1894  Rev.  E.  P.  Schueler,  from  the  West- 
ern Theological  Seminary,  supplied  the  congregation.  On  Septem- 
ber 1st  Rev.  J.  A.  Lowe  took  charge  as  pastor,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1895  it  was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod.  At  that  time  the  members 
of  Bethel  church  held  a  controlling  interest  in  the  Jerico  Educa- 
tional Institute  building.  An  agreement  was  entered  into  with  Rev. 
Lowe  by  which  the  property  was  transferred  to  him  on  the  condi- 
tion that  he  would  conduct  school  therein  for  three  years  and  pay 
$200.  He  conducted  a  private  school  here  for  one  year  when  all 
interested  parties  agreed  to  sell  the  property  to  the  town  of  Jerico 
for  public  and  high  school  purposes.  At  this  point  Rev.  Lowe  be- 
came principal  of  the  High  School  and  at  the  same  time  continued 
to  preach  for  the  church  and  this  he  did  for  the  period  of  eight 
years.  During  this  time  his  salary  from  the  church  was  merely  a 
nominal  sum,  not  reaching  $200  per  year.  In  Mar.,  '97,  he  resigned 
the  church.  In  June  following  the  congregation  in  connection  with 
St.  James  Lutheran  church  of  Barton  Co.,  called  Rev.  J.  J.  Cham- 
bers. Rev.  Chambers  gave  them  very  acceptable  service,  but  owing 
to  the  exceedingly  small  salary  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  the 
work  in  October,  1898. 

At  first  the  congregation  worshipped  in  the  Baptist  church  paying 
a  rent.  Later  they  used  the  M.  E.  church  South.  On  the  1st  of 
May,  1898,  while  a  service  was  being  held  in  this  church  conducted 
by  the  Methodist  pastor,  many  of  the  Lutherans  being  present,  in- 
cluding Prof.  Lowe,  a  cyclone  destroyed  the  building.  By  the  great 
mercy  of  God  none  of  the  congregation  was  killed  although  many 
were  injured.  After  this  the  congregation  worshipped  in  the  Chris- 
tian church.  In  February,  1899,  the  Lutherans  purchased  a  half 
interest  in  the  Baptist  church.  At  this  time  Rev.  Lowe  began  to 
serve  the  congregation  again,  and  under  the  circumstances,  owing 
to  the  expense  of  the  purchase  of  a  church  home,  agreed  to  serve 
them  without  a  stipulated  salary,  receiving  only  the  voluntary  offer- 


ST.  JAMES'  CHURCH,  JERICO.  99 

ings.  He  resigned  in  1902.  Rev.  J.  F.  Petticrew  became  pastor, 
July  1,  1903,  remaining  one  year.  The  church  at  present  is  with- 
out a  pastor.  It  reports  a  membership  of  18  and  property  to  the 
value  of  $300. 

Recently  the  congregation  sold  its  half  interest  in  the   Baptist 
church  and  practically  disbanded. 


JERICO,  ST.  JAMES'. 

St.  James  Lutheran  church  of  Milford,  Barton  county,  Missouri, 
was  organized  by  Rev.  Andrew  Rader,  a  member  of  the  English 
Conference  of  the  Missouri  Synod,  on  the  fourth  Sunday  in  May, 
1873,  with  fourteen  charter  members.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
R.  L.  Goodman,  Rev.  M.  L.  Thornberg,  Rev.  J.  I.  Goodman,  and 
Rev.  I.  E.  Rader,  all  Missouri  Synod  pastors,  who  served  the  church 
for  short  intervals.  The  membership  of  this  church  had  come 
mainly  from  East  Tennessee  during  the  years  1870-3.  They  had 
been  accustomed  to  open  communion  and  Christian  fellowship  with 
other  denominations  as  prevailed  in  the  Holstein  Synod  with  which 
they  had  been  connected.  The  restrictions  of  the  Missouri  pastors 
greatly  annoyed  them  and  finally  it  became  unbearable.  In  1897 
they  withdrew  from  the  Missourians  and  invited  Rev.  J.  A.  Lowe 
to  preach  for  them.  In  June  the  same  year  Rev.  J.  J.  Chambers 
became  pastor.  At  this  time  suit  was  brought  against  them  in  the 
courts  by  a  few  Missouri  members  who  refused  to  join  in  the  move- 
ment. The  suit  was  thrown  out  of  the  court  because  neither  party 
was  incorporated.  Later  suit  was  again  brought  in  the  court  of 
equity  for  possession  of  the  property  by  the  Missourians.  This 
was  finally  compromised  in  giving  up  the  property.  St.  James' 
church,  newly  incorporated,  moved  a  half  mile  to  the  west  and 
erected  a  church  of  their  own,  a  building  24  by  38,  frame,  costing 
$600,  which  was  dedicated  on  the  11th  of  November,  1899.  The 
great  devotion  of  Mr.  William  Winters  and  Mr.  Jason  Williams  to 
the  congregation  during  these  struggles  is  to  be  commended.  It 
was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  in  1898.  In  the  calling  of  a  pastor 
it  was  united  with  Bethel  church  at  Jerico  as  a  pastoral  charge. 
Rev.  Chambers  resigned  in  October,  1898.  He  was  succeded  July 
1,  1903,  by  Rev.  J.  F.  Petticrew  who  remained  one  year.  The  church 
is  without  a  pastor  at  present.  It  reports  thirty  members  and  prop- 
erty valued  at  $800. 


100  FIRST   CHURCH,    KANSAS   CITY. 

KANSAS  CITY,  FIRST  LUTHERAN. 

While  Rev.  Morris  Officer  was  the  Secretary  of  the  old  Home 
Missionary  Society,  he  made  a  visit  to  Kansas  City  on  the  1st  of 
September,  1866,  and  at  once  began  looking  up  the  Lutherans  of 
the  place.  On  the  following  day  he  attended  services  in  the  Pres- 
byterian church  on  Wyandotte  street  near  ninth  and  preached  in 
the  evening.  He  met  a  number  of  Lutherans  who  pleaded  for  a 
church  in  this  rising  city  of  the  West,  which  at  this  time  had  a 
population  of  25,000,  and  was  enjoying  quite  a  boom.  Rev.  Officer 
was  greatly  impressed  with  the  opportunities  offered  here  for  the 
founding  of  a  church.  He  considered  it  the  entering  wedge  for 
future  operations  in  the  rapidly  developing  state  of  Kansas.  He 
hastened  back  to  Baltimore,  planning  as  he  went,  how  he  might  be 
able  to  secure  the  necessary  money  with  which  to  open  work.  At 
the  close  of  an  impassioned  appeal  in  the  First  English  Lutheran 
church  of  Baltimore,  he  was  delighted  to  find  one  member  who  was 
willing  to  pledge  $600  for  the  support  of  a  missionary  in  Kansas 
City.  This  over  enthusiastic  brother  failed  to  keep  his  pledge  and 
Rev.  Officer  had  to  look  elsewhere  for  aid.  Attending  the  conven- 
tion of  the  Central  Pennsylvania  Synod  he  sought  with  eloquent 
words  to  persuade  that  synod  to  take  care  of  Kansas  City.  The 
Synod  consented,  and  levied  an  apportionment  of  twenty-two  and 
a  half  cents  per  member,  raising  $1,200  for  the  support  of  the  pas- 
tor for  two  years,  and  $1,500  toward  the  erection  of  a  building.  At 
this  time  this  Synod  had  two  licentiates  attending  Wittenberg  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  and  it  was  very  desirious  of  having  them  enter 
the  mission  field  in  the  West.  These  two  theological  students  were 
Mr.  E.  J.  Keplinger  and  Mr.  A.  W.  Wagenhals,  (the  latter  now  of 
the  New  York  publishing  firm  of  Funk  and  Wagnalls.  Mr.  Officer 
opened  correspondence  with  these  young  men  and  persuaded  them 
to  become  missionaries  in  Missouri,  the  first  named  to  be  located 
at  Tipton,  and  the  latter  at  Kansas  City,  in  the  spring  of  1867.  Mr. 
Wagnalls  writes  the  editor,  "I  arrived  in  Kansas  City,  March  25th. 
On  the  following  Sunday  I  preached  in  the  Congregational  church 
a  sort  of  a  trial  sermon.  There  was  no  organization  at  that  time, 
but  a  committee  attended  that  service.  In  a  letter  from  Brother 
Officer  I  was  cautioned  to  say  nothing  in  my  sermon  referring  to 
slavery  or  the  late  civil  war  as  they  were  sensitive  on  that  point. 
I  heeded  the  hint,  and  I  distinctly  remember  the  committee  was 
pleased  and  told  me  so  saying  I  preached  about  love,  and  did  not 
say  anything  about  politics." 


FIRST  CHURCH,  KANSAS  CITY. 


101 


On  Tuesday  following,  Rev.  Officer  arrived  from  Topeka,  and  on 
Wednesday  April  4th,  they  "organized  a  church,  elected  officers, 
and  resolved  to  purchase  a  church  lot."  As  to  officers,  there  being 
a  scarcity  of  male  members,  Mr.  Officer  received  a  member  by  con- 
firmation, and  he  was  at  once  elected  as  an  elder  and  installed  with 
the  other  officers.  The  charter  members  were  the  following: 
Edward  Stine,  Emma  L.  Stine,  Jacob  S.  Schell,  Mary  F.  Schell, 
Jacob  W.  Keefer,  Miria  J.  Keefer,  Edward  Dively,  Eliza  Dively, 
Solomon  Tholander,  Malinda  Tholander,  Mary  Meiley,  Malinda  J. 
Hendricks,  Daniel  Schroll  and  Aaron  Raub. 

As  yet  there  was  no  synod  organized  in  the  West,  and  this  church 
through  its  pastor  and  a  lay  representative  in  the  person  of  Mr.  G. 
W.  Householder,  participated  in  the  organization  of  the  Kansas 
Synod  at  Topeka  in  November  the  following  year.  The  young  con- 
gregation found  it  very  difficult  to  find  a  hall  in  which  to  hold  ser- 


THE    FIRST    LUTHERAN    CHURCH,    (NEW.)     THE  FIRST  LUTHERAN   CHURCH,    (OLD.) 


102  FIRST  CHURCH,  KANSAS  CITY. 

vices  owing  to  the  great  boom  on  at  that  time  in  the  city.  One  of 
the  members  having  a  suitable  lot  offered  it  temporarily  for  this 
purpose,  and  in  a  single  day  a  shed  called  "The  Tabernacle"  20  by 
30  feet,  was  erected,  with  no  floor  other  than  the  virgin  sod,  and 
used  for  Sunday  School  and  church  purposes  for  a  year.  In  the 
meantime  lots  were  purchased  on  Baltimore  Avenue,  (lots  1018 
and  1020),  between  Tenth  and  Eleventh  streets,  about  where  the 
Home  Telephone  Building  now  stands,  and  plans  were  adopted  for 
the  erection  of  a  brick  building  29  by  50  feet,  with  a  parsonage  in 
the  rear.  This  building  was  completed  and  dedicated  the  following 
year.  The  total  cost  of  the  property  aggregated  $7,772,  including 
$1,850  spent  on  the  parsonage.  This  was  all  provided  for  on  the 
day  of  the  dedication  save  $500  advanced  by  the  Church  Extension 
Board,  afterward  paid  by  subscription. 

Here  the  congregation  worshipped  happily  for  twenty  years 
through  all  of  which  there  was  considerable  struggle  to  exist. 
Rev.  Wagenhals  resigned  in  1869  and  was  succeeded  in  1870  by 
Rev.  W.  H.  Steck,  who  remained  three  years.  Rev.  T.  F.  Dorn- 
blaser  was  called  in  1874,  remaining  until  1878.  In  1879  Rev.  S. 
S.  Waltz  took  charge,  continuing  as  pastor  till  December,  1883. 
On  the  1st  of  April  that  year  the  congregation  assumed  self  sup- 
port. Prior  to  that  time  it  had  been  a  mission  supported  at  first 
by  the  Synod  of  Central  Pennsylvania  until  the  10th  of  June,  1869, 
when  the  newly  organized  Boards  of  Home  Missions  and  Church 
Extension  had  the  Central  Pennsylvania's  interests  turned  over  to 
them.  From  the  latter  date  till  April  1st,  1884,  the  Home  Mission 
Board  granted  aid  annually  on  an  average  of  from  two  to  three 
hundred  dollars.  When  the  transfer  was  made  a  mortgage  for 
$1,000  was  turned  over  to  the  Church  Extension  Board.  On  the 
16th  of  May  1884,  Rev.  J.  M.  Cromer  became  pastor.  Two  years 
later  steps  were  taken  to  secure  a  better  location  and  a  more  ade- 
quate c/iurch  home.  On  March  1st,  1886,  the  old  property  was 
sold  for  $10,000  and  the  present  site  at  14th  and  Cherry  streets, 
99  by  132  feet,  was  bought  for  $9,500.  As  the  boom  was  on  in 
Kansas  City  at  that  time  this  selling  and  buying  were  both  at  boom 
prices.  The  plans  adopted  for  a  new  building  comprehended  a  fine 
structure  of  pressed  brick,  gothic  in  style,  two  story  and  with  a 
commanding  steeple,  at  an  estimated  cost  of  $55,000.  The  found- 
ation, 64  by  84  feet,  was  completed  in  the  fall  of  1887  and  the  cor- 
ner stone  laid  on  the  6th  of  December,  Rev.  S.  A.  Ort,  D.  D.,  as- 
sisting in  the  ceremony  and  preaching  the  sermon.  Rev.  M.  F. 
Troxell  and  Mr.  Robert  Weidensall  were  also  present.     By  Easter 


FIRST  CHURCH,  KANSAS  CITY.  103 

the  following  year  the  basement  was  completed,  temporarily  roofed, 
and  the  interior  handsomely  furnished,  making  a  very  cozy  church 
home.  Here  they  worshipped  for  five  years.  In  the  spring  of  1892, 
after  a  modification  of  the  plans  to  an  estimated  cost  of  $45,000, 
work  was  resumed  on  the  superstructure,  and  by  winter  it  was  un- 
der roof.  On  April  9th  of  the  following  year  it  was  dedicated. 
Drs.  Rhodes,  Barnitz,  Clutz,  Wynn,  Bowers,  Geiger  and  Dysinger, 
and  Revs.  McAfee,  Rentz,  Ruthrauff,  Altman  and  Cromer  (J.  B.), 
were  present  to  take  part  in  the  dedication  feast.  This  was  a  great 
day  for  the  First  Church.  The  building  was  now  complete,  furn- 
ished with  a  fine  auditorium,  chancel,  pipe  organ,  and  a  well  equip- 
ped Sunday  School  room,  in  keeping  with  the  best  of  the  Kansas 
City  churches. 

In  order  to  accomplish  these  ends  $15,000  was  borrowed  on  the 
church  building.  This  was  accomplished  by  the  issue  of  bonds  with 
interest  bearing  coupons  at  6  per  cent,  which  were  sold  to  friends 
in  the  East.  At  the  time  the  basement  of  the  church  was  construct- 
ed, the  sum  of  $3,500  was  borrowed  on  the  ground  upon  which  the 
parsonage  was  built  to  aid  in  finishing  the  parsonage.  The  carrying 
of  this  tremendous  debt  was  a  factor  which  tried  the  patience  of 
the  people.  For  a  while  it  was  cheerfully  done,  but  later  it  be- 
came a  positive  burden,  and  toward  the  last  so  much  so  that  the 
interest  was  allowed  to  lapse.  These  financial  troubles  came  to 
a  head  in  1899  when  those  who  had  advanced  money  in  the  pur- 
chase of  the  bonds  despaired  of  getting  their  money  and  both  pastor 
and  people  seemed  helpless  in  paying.  The  church  became  divided 
in  its  relation  to  the  pastor,  and  Rev.  Cromer  resigned  to  take  effect 
November  1st.  The  resignation  was  accepted  by  both  Council  and 
the  congregation.  Soon  after  that  about  forty  members  withdrew, 
but  the  Church  gathered  itself  together  and  promptly  called  Rev. 
Holmes  Dysinger,  D.  D.,  of  Polo,  111.,  formerly  President  of  Carth- 
age College,  as  its  pastor,  who  accepted  the  call  taking  charge  in 
January,  1900.  He  found  affairs  in  a  very  chaotic  state,  but  gave 
himself  to  the  work  of  reconstructing  with  remarkable  energy.  His 
first  task  was  the  raising  of  nearly  $2,500  to  pay  on  a  large  floating 
indebtedness  which  had  been  accumulating  for  a  number  of  years. 
This  he  accomplished,  besides  serving  the  church  faithfully  until 
it  had  in  a  large  measure  recovered  from  the  shock  resulting  from 
internal  strife  and  division.  On  August  1st,  1902,  he  was  succeed- 
ed by  Rev.  John  A.  M.  Ziegler,  D.  D. 

Dr.  Ziegler  soon  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  salvation  of  the 
church  depended  upon  the  payment  of  its  enormous  debt,  which 


104 


FIRST  CHURCH,  KANSAS  CITY. 


had  now  grown  to  $22,570,  and  the  interest  on  which  was  eating 
the  life  out  of  the  congregation.  It  required  a  brave  heart  and  a 
consecrated  man  to  undertake  such  a  task  in  a  church  which  had 
but  recently  suffered  terribly  from  strife  and  schism  until  it  was 
scarcely  able  to  support  its  pastor.  It  would  appall  an  ordinary 
man.     For  one  year  he  gave  it  his  most  profound  thought.     His 

plans  were  carefully     laid     and 


^2^ 


every  possible  contingency  was 
provided  against.  Then  he  inaug- 
urated such  a  debt  cancelling 
movement  as  has  never  been  wit- 
nessed in  the  General  Synod.  A 
date  was  finally  set  for  the  wip- 
ing out  of  the  entire  indebted- 
ness, Church  Extension  loans  in- 
cluded. By  skillful  and  tactful 
management  his  plans  were  all 
fulfilled  and  on  the  13th  of  Nov- 
ember, 1904,  all  indebtedness  was 
removed,  the  mortgage  burned, 
and  a  magnificent  Jubilee  Ser- 
vice held,  the  occasion  being 
honored  by  the  presence  of  Rev. 
rev.  j.  a.  m.  ziegler,  d.  d.  E    j    \y0\ft  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Presi- 

dent of  the  General  Synod, 
Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger,  D.  D.,  Western  Secretary  Board  Church  Exten- 
sion, Rev.  L.  P.  Ludden,  D.  D.,  Western  Secretary  Board  Home 
Missions,  Rev.  R.  B.  Wolf,  President  of  Kansas  Synod  and  Pastor 
First  Church,  Kansas  City,  Kansas,  Rev.  Frank  Heilman,  of  Mem- 
orial Church,  and  Rev.  A.  W.  Lindquist,  of  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church,  and  other  prominent  clergymen.  Just  how  this  was  all 
accomplished  can  best  be  told  in  an  editorial  "After  Two  Years" 
taken  from  the  November  issue  of  "The  Wartburg,"  Pastor  Ziegler's 
parish  paper: 

"It  was  apparent  that  unless  the  debt  could  somehow  be  gotten 
rid  of,  the  future  of  the  Church  was  exceedingly  uncertain.  The 
position  was  soon  taken  that  the  only  thing  to  do  was  to  get  rid  of 
the  entire  debt,  and  to  do  it  at  once.  The  first  encouragement  came 
from  Mr.  E.  Stine,  the  only  living  male  charter  member.  He  ex- 
pressed himself  as  ready  at  any  time  to  give  $1,000,  on  the  sole 
condition  that  the  entire  indebtedness  be  cancelled.  In  a  trip  to 
the  East  in  August,  1903,  I  went  to  York,  Pa.,  to  consult  with  Dr. 
H.  H.  Weber,  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Church  Extension,  and  with 
our  worthy  friend,  Jere  Carl,  Treasurer.     In  conversation  with  Mr. 


THE  CHILDREN'S  MEMORIAL,  KANSAS  CITY.  105 

Carl,  I  remarked  that  I  was  not  willing  to  return  to  Kansas  City 
to  fiddle  at  the  debt  for  the  next  five  or  ten  years.  With  some  con- 
siderable concern,  he  asked  what  I  intended  doing.  When  I  replied 
that  I  was  going  back  to  clear  off  the  entire  debt  and  to  do  it  at 
once,  he  said,  "I  will  start  the  subscription  with  five  hundred  dol- 
lars." 

From  that  moment  I  was  confident  of  success.  I  was  sure  the 
Lord  and  the  Church  were  with  us.  The  outcome  justifies  the  con- 
fidence. 

I  should  like  to  mention  all  the  dear  friends  who  so  generously 
came  to  the  rescue,  but  modesty  forbids,  for  their  sakes  as  well  as 
for  our  own.  When,  however,  in  order  to  make  our  effort  a  sure 
success,  Mr.  Carl  increases  his  already  liberal  offer  to  more  than 
SI, 600,  and  Mr.  Gladfelter  donates  $750  of  his  holdings,  and  Mr. 
Denhart  offers  to  pay  the  one-tenth  of  about  313,000,  and  Mr.  Pore 
writes,  "I  will  give  $1,000,"  our  joy  and  gratitude  will  not  allow  us 
to  pass  them  by  in  silence.  Nor  would  we  forget  the  more  than 
ordinary  support  of  the  Board  of  Church  Extension,  in  caring  for 
interest  until  it  amounts  to  $2,000,  and  now  generously  cancelling 
the  entire  obligation,  and  adding  thereto  a  final  cash  contribution 
of  $500." 

Unfortunately  in  the  following  June  Dr.  Ziegler  was  disabled 
from  over  work,  and  was  obliged  to  rest.  After  six  months  of  pa- 
tient waiting  for  complete  recovery,  he  resigned  on  the  1st  of  May 
1906.  Rev.  M.  J.  Firey,  D.  D.,  for  a  while  supplied  the  congrega- 
tion. On  the  13th  of  January  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  J.  C. 
Schindel. 

A  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  organ- 
ized in  1884  which  has  continued  to  the  present  time.  The  church 
reports  140  communicant  members  and  property  to  the  value  of 
$50,000.  It  disposed  of  its  parsonage  to  assist  in  cancelling  its 
debt. 


KANSAS  CITY,  CHILDREN'S  MEMORIAL. 

This  church  is  the  outgrowth  of  a 'mission  Sunday  School  started 
at  No.  810  Independence  Avenue,  September  22,  1882,  under  the 
direction  of  Rev.  S.  S.  Waltz,  then  pastor  of  the  First  church. 
Later  the  school  was  transferred  to  a  store  room  at  the  northwest 
corner  of  Harrison  street  and  Independence  avenue.  Here  Rev. 
M.  F.  Troxell,  then  pastor  at  Eureka,  Kansas,  preached  the  first 
sermon  on  the  9th  of  December,  1883.  It  was  not  until  April  the 
following  year  that  he  accepted  a  call  and  was  commissioned  mis- 
sionary there  under  the  auspices  of  the  Home  Mission  Board.  With 
the  full  consent  and  co-operation  of  the  Council  of  the  First  church 


106  THE  CHILDREN'S   MEMORIAL,   KANSAS  CITY. 

Rev.  Troxell  canvassed  the  neighborhood,  and  on  the  first  of  June, 
1884,  after  a  suitable  sermon  and  services  there  was  organized  the 
Children's  Memorial  Church  with  the  following  eleven  members: 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  P.  Briggs,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Rine,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
P.  Preston  Newhard,  Miss  Anna  Clatanoff,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Robinson, 
Mrs.  A.  Sherer,  Mrs.  E.  E.  Emig,  and  Mr.  S.  L.  C.  Rhodes.  On  the 
15th  of  the  same  month  the  following  officers  were  elected:  Elder, 
E.  P.  Briggs;  Deacon,  P.  P.  Newhard;  Trustees,  Messrs  Rhodes 
and  Rine. 

This  mission  was  the  first  home  mission  station  to  receive  sup- 
port from  the  Sunday  schools  of  the  General  Synod  on  Luther  day, 
in  November.  The  offerings  then  first  begun  were  only  about  five 
hundred  dollars  the  first  year,  but  the  movement  was  a  popular 
one  and  the  income  of  the  Home  Board  grew  rapidly  from  that 
source  year  by  year.  It  was  the  fact  of  receiving  aid  in  this  way 
for  the  founding  and  support  of  the  mission  from  the  children  of 
the  church  and  Sunday  schools  that  gave  the  pastor,  Rev.  Troxell, 
the  idea  of  naming  the  organization  the  "Children's  Memorial," 
and  of  securing  funds  for  a  permanent  church  home  through  the 
offerings,  in  Ten-dollar  shares,  from  the  Sunday  schools  of  the 
General  Synod. 

The  congregation  asked  permisison  of  the  Board  of  Home  Mis- 
sions and  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  to  make  an  appeal  to 
the  Sunday  schools  of  the  General  Synod  for  the  building  of  a 
house,  and  this  consent  was  obtained.  The  pastor  at  once  set  him- 
self to  the  work  using  the  columns  of  the  church  papers  through 
which  to  present  his  plans,  asking  all  the  Sunday  schools  to  take 
one  or  more  Ten-dollar  shares  of  stock  in  the  new  spiritual  enter- 
prise. The  Children's  Memorial  Church  of  Kansas  City  soon  be- 
come well  known  all  over  the  General  Synod.  The  success  of  the 
plan  was  evidenced  from  the  way  in  which  shares  were  rapidly  sub- 
scribed for  the  new  Kansas  City  mission.  The  popularity  of  the 
mission  led  to  the  regular  appointing  of  Luther  Day  as  a  day  in 
which  our  Sunday  schools  took  offerings  for  the  Board  of  Home 
Missions. 

Through  the  general  appeal  to  the  Sunday  schools  help  was  given 
sufficient  to  warrant  the  purchase  of  a  church  site,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1885  lots  were  purchased  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Sixth 
street,  (now  Admiral  boulevard)  and  Tracy  avenue,  at  a  cost  of 
S3, 100.  Upon  the  lots  purchased  a  chapel  was  erected  during  the 
summer  of  1885,  and  dedicated  November  8th  of  that  year.  The 
cost  of  the  chapel  was  about  $3,500  and  the  church  was  grateful, 


THE  CHILDREN'S   MEMORIAL,  KANSAS  CITY. 


107 


both  to  the  schools  of  the  church  at  large,  and  also  to 
the  Board  of  Church  Extension  for  timely  aid  in  securing 
their  church  home  in  the  rapidly  growing  commercial  metropolis 


CHILDREN  S   MEMORIAL   CHURCH. 


of  the  southwest.  Great  joy  filled  the  hearts  of  the  members  and 
faithful  workers  of  the  Children's  Memorial  on  the  day  of  dedica- 
tion of  their  new  chapel.  Revs.  Jacob  A.  Clutz,  Samuel  B.  Barnitz, 
S.  S.  Waltz  and  James  M.  Cromer  of  the  Lutheran  church,  and  Rev. 
D.  Schley  Schaff  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  the  city  as- 
sisted the  pastor  in  the  dedicatory  exercises.  Rev.  Troxell  resigned 
in  September,  1888. 

Rev.  George  Daniel  Gotwald,  of  Salina,  Kansas,  was  elected  as 


108  THE  CHILDREN'S  MEMORIAL,   KANSAS   CITY. 

the  second  pastor,  and  took  charge  December  1st,  1888.  Before 
his  arrival  on  the  field  the  congregation  paid  off  a  note  of  one  thou- 
sand dollars  held  by  the  Mutual  Building  and  Loan  Association  of 
the  city.  In  March,  1889,  full  settlement  was  made  with  the  Board 
of  Church  Extension.  The  fifth  annual  congregational  meeting 
showed  a  membership  of  115  and  the  yearly  contributions  amount- 
ed to  $1 ,688.48.  During  five  years  death  claimed  but  one  member. 
In  the  fall  of  1889  a  furnace  was  installed  at  a  cost  of  $115,  and 
paid  for.  The  congregation  also  co-operated  with  the  First  church 
in  publishing  a  parish  paper,  "The  Lutheran  Banner."  Plans  were 
also  discussed  looking  toward  the  building  of  the  main  auditorium. 
These  were  halted  by  the  sudden  death  of  the  pastor  which  oc- 
curred January  12th,  1890.  A  cold  contracted  in  attending  to  pas- 
toral duties  developed  into  pneumonia  which  proved  fatal.  This 
sad  event  deeply  affected  the  members  who  were  closely  attached 
to  their  pastor.  Rev.  Gotwald  carried  an  Insurance  Policy  in  favor 
of  Midland  College,  which  yielded  about  twenty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars to  that  institution  for  the  endowment  of  the  presidential  chair. 
After  a  short  vacancy,  Rev.  Frank  De  Graff  Altman  was  chosen 
pastor  and  took  charge  April  16th,  1890.  In  the  annual  congrega- 
tional meeting  held  June  1st,  the  Secretary  reported  98  resident 
and  36  non-resident  members,  with  the  yearly  contribution  amount- 
ing to  $1,046.56.  Of  this  amount  $180  was  for  benevolence.  Work 
on  the  main  building  was  begun  the  following  year  and  on  August 
23d,  1891,  the  corner  stone  was  laid.  Dedication  took  place  Feb- 
ruary 14th,  1892.  On  the  first  of  August  Rev.  Altman  resigned 
as  pastor  and  Rev.  J.  S.  Detweiler,  of  Omaha,  was  chosen 
as  his  successor.  He  took  charge  October  15th,  1895.  This  rela- 
tion continued  until  July  20th,  1896,  when  the  pastor  resigned,  but 
continued  to  act  as  supply,  receiving  only  the  voluntary  freewill 
offerings  of  the  people  as  support.  This  arrangement  lasted  only 
until  October,  1896.  It  was  decidedly  un-Lutheran,  as  were  other 
methods  and  views  into  which  Rev.  Detweiler  had  developed,  so 
much  so  that  he  received  a  dismissal  from  the  Lutheran  ministry 
by  the  action  of  the  Kansas  Synod,  at  his  own  request,  and  made 
an  effort  to  establish  himself  in  an  independent  way  as  a  holiness 
and  faith-healing  leader,  in  a  location  not  far  from  the  Memorial 
church  which  he  had  been  serving  as  pastor  in  Kansas  City.  His 
efforts  there  finally  failed,  and  he  left  for  Texas  and  other  parts  of 
the  country;  but  the  reader  may  imagine  what  a  hard  and  trying 
experience  it  was  for  a  comparatively  young  city  church  to  stand 
the  strain  of  his  vagaries  and  near-by  association  in  the  very  vicin- 


GRACE  CHURCH,   KANSAS  CITY.  109 

ity  where  he  had  been  called  and  supported  as  a  pastor  and  a  sup- 
posed loyal  leader  in  the  Lutheran  church. 

After  this  hard  strain  Rev.  Edward  P.  Schueler  was  called  and 
installed  as  pastor  and  served  the  congregation  from  June,  1897,  to 
June,  1900.  Out  of  the  previous  period  of  discouragement  the 
church  under  his  ministry  came  again  into  hope  and  activity. 

In  July,  1900,  Rev.  Jesse  W.  Ball,  became  pastor.  During  April 
of  1903  application  was  made  for  aid  a  second  time  from  the  Board 
of  Home  Missions,  and  aid  was  granted.  There  was  also  an  effort 
made  to  sell  the  property  and  move  the  church  to  the  eastern  part 
of  the  city,  into  a  supposed  better  resident  district.  This  effort 
was  not  successful  and  the  pastor  resigned. 

Rev.  Frank  Heilman  became  pastor  June  15th,  1904,  and  retired 
May   1st,   1905. 

On  August  1st,  1905,  Rev.  A.  B.  Shrader  took  charge  and  con- 
tinues as  pastor  up  to  the  present  time,  1907.  The  church  reports 
80  members,  a  property  valued  at  $20,000  and  a  debt  of  $5,500. 


KANSAS  CITY,  GRACE. 

Grace  Lutheran  Church  was  organized  on  the  evening  of  Decem- 
ber 14th,  1899,  with  persons  who,  for  the  most  part,  had  been  mem- 
bers of  the  First  church  and  who  had  withdrawn  on  account  of  dif- 
ferences which  had  arisen  between  the  council  of  the  First  church 
and  the  pastor,  claiming  that  they  could  not  remain  and  enjoy  peace 
and  spiritual  profit.  A  constitution  was  adopted  and  the  proper 
officers  elected.  Rev.  J.  M.  Cromer,  their  former  pastor,  received 
a  call  to  become  pastor  of  the  new  organization.  He  accepted  the 
call  and  became  pastor  at  once.  The  officers  elected  were:  Elders, 
M.  C.  Ross,  W.  J.  Fulmer;  Deacons,  Fred  Panschert,  Dr.  L.  Lever- 
ich,  Fred  Averill;  Trustees,  Prof.  P.  K.  Dillenback,  George  G. 
Croner. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  charter  members:  W.  W.  Morgan, 
Hannah  E.  Morgan,  Valentine  Archer,  Frederick  Panschert,  Anna 
C.  Panschert,  Peter  Sondberg,  Peter  Jacobson,  Cora  A.  Pauschert, 
Katherine  Jacobson,  John  Andlauer,  Lena  Andlauer,  Will  Andlauer, 
W.  J.  Fulmer,  Viola  L.  Fulmer,  Alice  Hughes,  M.  C.  Ross,  Wini- 
fred E.  Ross,  Jacob  Lauffer,  Saidie  Lauffer,  Fannie  Patton,  Ruth 
E.  Moroe,  Katharine  Monroe,  Elinor  Pierson,  Nannie  Pierson,  Ther- 
esa Pierson,  Artee  Pierson,  Lillian  Pierson,  Charles  H.  Pierson, 
Katharine   Springer,   Alice   Springer,   William   Becker,   Mrs.    Wm. 


110 


REV.    CARLOS    MARTIN,   M.    D.  REV.  W.  C.  SEIDEL,  D.   D. 


MR.  J.   E.   HERBST,  M.   D. 


MR.    J.    H.    TALBOTT. 


REV.    WM.    KELLEY. 


REV.    GEO.    D.    GOTWALD. 


GRACE   CHURCH,  KANSAS  CITY.  Ill 

Becker,  Mabel  Durker,  Mattie  B.  Jones,  Johannah  Sperling,  J.  J. 
Roerness,  Dr.  L.  L.  Leverich,  Mattie  Leverich,  Fred  W.  Averill, 
Mattie  Froehling,  Mary  F.  Stone,  Emma  D.  Webb,  Ada  Sleek,  Mary 
Sleek,  Hattie  S.  Cromer,  Bryant  S.  Cromer,  J.  M.  Cromer,  Prof. 
P.  K.  Willenbeck,  Lillie  Dillenbeck,  George  G.  Croner,  J.  Z.  Easter- 
day,  Millie  Easterday,  Sophia  Wittman,  Emma  M.  Lang,  Elizabeth 
Herman,  Laura  Whitehill,  Gertrude  Whitehill,  Mrs.  A.  R.  Haskins, 
Mrs.  M.  B.  Behney,  Bertha  Hilgren,  Bengta  Sloan,  Emma  A.  Mink, 
Anna  L.  Mink,  Amanda  Davis,  Christine  Shultz,  Dr.  John  W. 
Shultz,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Shultz,  Emma  Mohn,  Sophia  Kahman,  Marie 
Kahman,  M.  S.  Bell,  Mrs.  George  Horst,  Ellen  G.  Scofield,  Louisa 
Piercy,  Margaret  Vollrath,  Miss  Julia  Geiger,  Ralph  E.  Scofield, 
Mrs.  C.  G.  Butterfield,  Mrs.  Hilma  Ferris,  Mrs.  Flora  Sutherland, 
Cora  E.  Averill,  Julia  Averill,  Mrs.  E.  Sleek. 

Meetings  were  held  for  a  short  time  in  the  home  of  one  of  the 
members,  but  the  room  soon  proved  inadequate  and  inconvenient; 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  select  and  secure  a  satisfactory  place 
of  meeting.  This  committee  secured  a  German  M.  E.  Church  at 
No.  1418  Oak  street.  However,  owing  to  the  close  proximity  of  the 
place  to  the  mother  church,  strenuous  objections  were  raised  by  the 
council  of  the  First  church  for  this  and  other  reasons,  when  Grace 
church  sought  admission  to  the  Kansas  Synod.  The  Synod  there- 
fore advised  that  because  of  the  danger  of  constant  menace  against 
the  peace  of  the  First  church,  which  was  a  member  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  Kansas  Synod,  Grace  church  should  withdraw  its  appli- 
cation until  the  congregation  could  remove  as  far  from  the  First 
church  as  the  First  church  is  from  the  Children's  Memorial. 

Such  a  move  was  not  accomplished  until  the  summer  of  1902 
when  fortunately  a  church  building  owned  by  the  Second  U.  P. 
church,  located  at  the  corner  of  Fourteenth  street  and  Euclid  av- 
enue, became  available.  This  was  leased  and  finally  purchased  in 
the  spring  of  1905  for  the  sum  of  $6,300,  the  original  cost  having 
been  close  to  $15,000.  In  addition  to  a  loan  of  $800  from  the 
Board  of  Church  Extension  $2,800  remains  to  be  paid.  The  loca- 
tion is  in  a  most  beautiful  resident  portion  of  the  city,  convenient  to 
several  of  the  principal  street  car  lines.  The  building  is  a  brick 
with  red  limestone  trimmings,  in  good  repair,  and  will  seat  300 
people.  The  congregation  was  received  into  Kansas  Synod  in  the 
fall  of  1903. 

The  last  report  to  Synod  shows  a  congregation  with  150  com- 
municant members  and  a  Sunday  school  numbering  134  teachers 
and  scholars. 


112 


TRINITY   CHURCH,    KANSAS   CITY. 


KANSAS  CITY,  KANSAS,  TRINITY. 

Although  Kansas  City,  Kansas,  is  the  largest  city  in  the  State, 
no  effort  to  start  an  English  Lutheran  church  there  was  made  until 
in  1902.  A  few  of  the  Lutheran  people  were  connected  with 
churches  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  but  the  greater  number  were  given 
the  option  of  going  into  some  other  denomination  or  of  letting  their 
membership  lapse.  The  pastor  of  the  Memorial  church  in  Kansas 
City,  Mo.,  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Ball,  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Board 
of  Home  Missions  the  fact  that  there  were  people  on  the  Kansas 
side  who  desired  a  mission  started,  and  after  a  personal  investiga- 
tion, the  President  of  Synod,  Dr.  Yarger,  advocated  the  movement 
so  effectively  that  the  Board  authorized  a  formal  canvass  of  the 

city  to  be  made.  Mr.  C.  E. 
Sparks,  a  theological  stu- 
dent, was  appointed  to 
make  the  preliminary  can- 
vass and  he  enlisted  a 
number  of  families  in  the 
enterprise.  The  organiza- 
tion was  effected  on  Sep- 
tember 14,  1902,  at  which 
time  thirty-three  members 
signed  the  roll  and  elected 
officers.  The  following  Sun- 
day the  Rev.  R.  B.  Wolf, 
of  Eureka,  installed  the 
first  Council  after  admin- 
istering the  rite  of  baptism 
to  one  of  the  Deacons  and 
receiving  an  Elder  by  pro- 
fession of  faith.  A  call 
was  extended  pastor  Wolf  on  that  day,  which  call  was  later  accept- 
ed and  the  pastoral  relation  was  begun  November  1st  following. 

The  Charter  Members  were,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Anderson,  Geo. 
Bemarkt,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  Bohl,  J.  A.  Cable,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  A. 
Crandall,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  E.  Dengel,  J.  Decker,  Mrs.  E.  M.  Fisher, 
Miss  Leo  Frain,  Mrs.  K.  Gauch,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  Kopp,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  C.  A.  Kopp,  Mrs.  G.  B.  Lemon,  Mrs.  A.  W.  Myers,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  B.  Nelson,  Mrs.  F.  A.  Peterson,  Mrs.  C.  Shipley,  Miss  Nellie 
Shipley,  Miss  Martha  Shipley,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  Stine,  Mrs.  P.  Weid- 
lein,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  W.  Wall,  George  Wall  and  Sophie  Wall. 


TRINITY  CHURCH. 


TRINITY   CHURCH,   KANSAS   CITY.  113 

For  nearly  two  years  services  were  held  in  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
Hall,  624  Minnesota  avenue,  on  the  third  floor  of  a  business  block. 
There  were  many  disadvantages  connected  with  this  place  of  meet- 
ing, among  which  were  its  elevation  from  the  street  and  without  an 
elevator,  the  fact  that  it  was  away  from  a  residential  section,  but 
most  of  all  because  the  hall  was  in  continuous  use  day  and  night 
and  could  not  be  secured  for  an  extra  service,  not  even  on  Christ- 
mas Eve.  However  during  the  year  twenty-six  additional  members 
were  secured  and  there  abide  many  precious  memories  of  the  life 
in  the  hall. 

During  the  Summer  of  1904  an  opportunity  arose  to  purchase 
outright  from  the  mortgagee  a  substantial  brick  church  building  in 
a  favorable  location  and  the  offer  was  quickly  taken.  Possession 
was  immediately  given  and  the  first  service  was  held  there  on  the 
third  Sunday  in  July.  The  building  was  originally  built  by  a  con- 
gregation of  the  Disciples  at  a  cost  of  over  twelve  thousand  dollars. 
The  whole  plant  with  seating,  lighting  and  heating  was  purchased 
for  $3,750.  It  has  a  seating  capacity  of  400  and  a  Sunday  school 
room  accomodating  150  more,  and  other  convenient  arrangements. 
About  $500  were  spent  in  repairs  and  the  church  dedicated  Septem- 
ber 25,  1904.  Dr.  Yarger  of  the  Church  Extension  Board,  Dr.  Lud- 
den  of  the  Home  Mission  Board  and  Mrs.  K.  B.  Shaffer,  of  the 
Woman's  Executive  Committee  assisted  in  the  services.  In  the 
purchase  of  the  building,  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  made  a 
loan  of  $500,  and  donated  $120  toward  the  payment  of  interest. 
The  Woman's  Executive  Committee  made  a  loan  of  $750  and  a 
donation  of  $250.  The  present  indebtedness  of  all  character  is 
$2,500. 

Of  the  original  33  members,  sixteen  are  still  in  connection  with 
the  congregation.  A  number  of  members  have  been  lost  by  re- 
movals, and  a  few  have  become  a  part  of  the  Church  Triumphant. 
The  congregation  became  a  Woman's  Mission  on  July  1st,  1904, 
and  is  the  only  one  in  the  Kansas  Synod  supported  by  the  Woman's 
Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  society.  The  present  membership 
of  the  congregation  is  79. 

Officers:  Elders,  P.  Jacobson  and  P.  D.  Schall;  Deacons,  H.  E. 
Dengel,  H.  A.  Crandall,  H.  C.  Bennetzen  and  R.  Anderson;  Trus- 
tees, Geo.  Bemarkt,  J.  M.  Mailand  and  C.  Kopp;  Pastor,  Rev.  R. 
B.  Wolf.  The  church  is  located  at  712  Tauromee  avenue.  It  has 
had  but  one  pastor,  the  Rev.  R.  B.  Wolf,  who  is  still  in  charge. 
The  Sunday  school  has  flourished  from  the  beginning  and  now  en- 
rolls 85.    The  auxiliary  of  the  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  society  has  been  one 


114  LANCASTER  CHARGE,   ST.   JOHN'S. 

of  the  effective  agents  in  developing  the  local  church  life.  It  has 
a  membership  of  9.  Especially  helpful  has  been  the  Woman's  so- 
ciety, which  in  the  four  years  of  its  organization  placed  more  than 
$900  in  the  church  treasury,  and  has  been  the  avenue  through 
which  a  number  of  members  have  been  added  to  the  congregation. 
It  started  with  a  membership  of  7  and  now  numbers  35. 


LANCASTER,  ST.  JOHN'S. 

While  Rev.  Carl  Kreuger  was  preaching  at  St.  Paul's  church 
three  miles  to  the  northwest  of  Lancaster,  he  began  to  hold  ser- 
vices in  the  Union  church  in  the  town  of  Lancaster,  and  in  March, 
1905,  effected  the  organization  of  Zion's  English  Lutheran  church 
with  the  following  charter  members:  K.  G.  Gigstad,  George  Dors- 
som,  Adam  Dorssom,  John  Dorssom,  Fred  Matthias  Sr.,  Fred  Mat- 
thias, Jr.,  W.  H.  Graner,  H.  A.  Dorssom,  Ole  G.  Gigstad,  Mrs.  M. 
Petersen,  Harold  Olson,  Sr.,  Ellrig  Olson,  Emil  Hinz,  Herman 
Hinz,  Sr.,  Henry  Buttrow,  Henry  Bodendoerfer,  R.  C.  Jahne,  Geo. 
Matthias,  Sophia  Merkel  and  William  Matthias.  Officers  were  elect- 
ed and  constitution  adopted  and  the  church  resolved  to  attach  itself 
with  the  St.  Paul's  church  as  a  pastoral  charge.  As  the  Union 
church  in  which  they  organized  was  erected  in  1877  largely  with 
contributions  from  Lutheran  families,  it  was  thought  best  to  use 
that  building  instead  of  erecting  another.  The  church  has  a  Sun- 
day school  with  an  enrollment  of  34,  and  at  the  present  time  the 
church  has  grown  to  a  membership  of  49.  Altho  this  congregation 
is  enrolled  in  the  parochial  report  of  Kansas  Synod  (1906)  it  has 
not  as  yet  been   formally  admitted. 


LANCASTER,  ST.  PAUL'S,  (German.) 

About  ten  miles  northwest  of  Atchison,  and  in  Atchison  county 
there  is  a  German  neighborhood  to  which  Rev.  Carl  Kreuger  of 
Midland  College  began  preaching  in  the  fall  and  winter  of  1904-5 
The  result  was  the  organization  in  January,  1905,  of  St.  Paul's 
German  Lutheran  church  by  Rev.  Kreuger  assisted  by  Mr.  Fried- 
erich  Schwartz.  There  were  eighteen  charter  members,  as  follows: 
Christ  Brun  and  family,  Christ  Kloepper  and  family,  Wm.  Kloep- 
per  and  family,  Fred  Kloepper  and  family,  Fred  Rathert  and  fam- 
ily, Herman  Rathert  and  family,  Mrs.  Lisette  Rathert,  Arnold  Lange 


THE    LAWRENCE   CHURCH.  115 

and  family,  Dietrich  Kruse  and  family.  According  to  the  loyal 
German  idea,  they  began  at  once  to  plan  for  the  erection  of  a 
church  edifice.  A  location  was  selected  three  miles  northwest  of 
the  town  of  Lancaster,  and  plans  adopted  calling  for  a  wooden 
structure  24  by  32  feet,  which  when  complete  cost  $1,400.  The 
cost  was  entirely  provided  for  at  the  dedication  and  at  the  present 
time  there  is  no  indebtedness.  The  church  is  served  in  connec- 
tion with  Zion's  church  as  a  pastoral  charge  with  Pastor  Kreuger 
in  charge.  The  membership  is  forty  with  a  Sunday  school  with  an 
enrollment  of  sixty.  The  congregation  was  formally  admitted  into 
Kansas  Synod  in  the  fall  of  1905. 


LAWRENCE,  ENGLISH  LUTHERAN. 

The  English  Lutheran  church  at  Lawrence  was  the  first  Lutheran 
church  established  on  Kansas  soil  under  the  direct  auspices  of  the 
Home  Mission  Society.  The  Secretary,  Rev.  Morris  Officer,  had 
made  a  number  of  visits  to  Lawrence  prior  to  the  time  of  its  or- 
ganization. In  the  fall  of  1866  he  visited  Lawrence,  which  place, 
he  says,  in  one  of  his  letters  to  the  Observer,  "Is  perhaps  the  most 
beautiful  little  city  in  all  this  western  region,"  and  made  a  careful 
canvass  of  the  town,  but  owing  to  a  severe  storm  was  unable  to 
organize.  However,  he  left  the  work  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  J.  G. 
Schmucker  and  Mr.  Christian  Frederickson,  who  kept  up  the  in- 
terest and  gathered  the  Lutheran  families  together.  When  the 
Secretary  returned  the  following  March  he  found  his  original  list 
of  names  considerably  augmented.  Rev.  Officer  spent  several  days 
working  up  matters,  and  held  a  meeting  on  Saturday  afternoon, 
March  16th,  in  which  preliminaries  were  arranged.  On  the  follow- 
ing day  he  "preached  both  morning  and  evening  in  the  Old  School 
Presbyterian  Church."  At  the  latter  service  the  Holy  Communion 
was  administered,  after  which  the  organization  was  effected.  In 
a  historical  sketch  of  the  church  written  at  a  considerably  later 
date  it  says: 

"The  organization  was  effected  with  eight  charter  members.  The 
following  are  the  names  of  these  members:  John  Nelson  and  wife 
Sophia,  O.  Brodin,  P.  Enquist,  John  Johnson,  E.  J.  Anderson,  Mrs. 
Anna  Rodell  and  Miss  Mary  Rosell."  However,  Rev.  Officer  writ- 
ing under  date  of  March  18th  to  the  Lutheran  Observer  says:  "This 
evening" — he  writes  at  the  close  of  the  Sunday  evening  services — " 
"we  met  again,  organized  with   twenty   seven  members,  most  of 


116 


THE   LAWRENCE   CHURCH. 


whom  are  Anglicised  Scandinavians  in  the  prime  of  life.  Mrs. 
Mary  Rocklund,  Nee  Rosell,  a  surviving  charter  member  says,  that 
except  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  G.  Schmucker  the  organization  would 
never  have  been  accomplished.  The  Sunday  School,  for  quite  a 
while  was  held  in  their  house;  a  stone  house  which  is  still  stand- 
ing on  the  corners  of  Rhode  Island  and  Lee  streets.  From  this  it 
would  appear  that  other  names  should  be  added  to  the  above  list, 
among  which  are  Mr.  J.  G.  Schmucker  and  wife  Martha,  Christian 


FIRST    ENGLISH    LUTHERAN    CHURCH    AND    PARSONAGE. 


Frederickson  and  wife  Matilda,  Miss  Matilda  Kellman,  Miss  Sophia 
Fritzell,  and  Mrs.  Anna  Kellman,  as  well  as  a  number  of  others 
whose  names  have  been  lost  with  the  early  records.  The  arrange- 
ment for  a  pastor  contemplated  uniting  this  church  with  one  which 
was  about  to  be  organized  at  Topeka,  as  a  pastoral  charge,  which 
later  was  accomplished. 

While  Rev.  Morris  Officers  effected  this  organization  it  is  but 
just  to  say  that  much  of  the  pioneer  work  was  done  by  Rev.  David 
Earhart,  who  had  been  preaching  at  Vinland,  nine  miles  south, 
since  1860,  and  who  had  frequently  held  services  at  Lawrence  for 
the  Lutheran  families. 

The  Home  Mission  Society  at  once  sent  Rev.  A.  J.  Hesson    to 


THE    LAWRENCE   CHURCH.  117 

Lawrence  as  misisonary  who  was  duly  elected  pastor,  preaching 
alternately  at  Lawrence  and  Topeka.  This  arrangement  lasted  for 
eight  months  but  was  found  to  be  unsatisfactory.  Rev.  Hesson 
therefore  decided  to  give  his  entire  time  to  the  Topeka  congrega- 
tion. Rev.  H.  B.  Belmer  took  charge  of  the  mission  in  March, 
1869.  He  began  at  once  to  secure  a  suitable  church  building.  The 
site  for  a  church  was  purchased  immediately,  and  on  the  22nd  of 
July  the  following  year  the  contract  was  let  for  the  erection  of  a 
stone  church  thirty  by  fifty  feet,  which  cost  when  completed  $5,500. 
So  rapidly  was  the  work  carried  on  that  by  December  of  the  same 
year  the  building  was  ready  for  dedication.  This  ceremony  took 
place  on  the  18th,  the  Rev.  Levi  Sternberg,  D.  D.,  of  Ft.  Harker, 
Kansas,  delivering  the  sermon,  Rev.  H.  W.  Kuhns,  of  Omaha,  as- 
sisting the  pastor  in  the  dedicatory  ceremonies.  The  Board  of 
Church  Extension  assisted  in  the  work  by  making  a  donation  of 
S130  and  a  loan  of  $1,500.  On  the  day  of  dedication  it  was  sup- 
posed that  sufficient  money  had  been  pledged  to  pay  all  bills,  but 
the  day  after  it  was  discovered  that  the  secretary  had  made  a  mis- 
take of  $700  in  adding  up  his  columns  of  figures.  This  debt  was 
on  the  church  for  many  years.  Rev.  Belmer  resigned  in  December, 
1872. 

In  January  following  Rev,  A.  A.  Trimper  became  pastor,  and 
served  the  congregation  in  connection  with  the  one  at  Vinland,  as 
a  pastoral  charge,  as  did  Rev.  Belmer  before  him.  He  continued 
his  work  until  April,  1882;  serving  the  church  faithfully  with  the 
exception  of  one  year  1883,  during  which  he  supplied  the  church 
as  his  health  would  permit.  In  June  of  the  latter  year,  Rev.  J.  E. 
Maurer  became  pastor,  serving  the  Lawrence  congregation  only, 
one  year.  After  his  removal  to  another  field,  he  purchased  and 
presented  to  the  congregation  a  bell  for  the  church.  Following  Rev. 
Maurer,  Rev.  I.  J.  Delo  began  to  serve  the  congregation  in  Septem- 
ber, 1884,  and  continued  as  pastor  until  1887,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded in  August  of  the  same  year  by  Rev.  S.  B.  Hyman  who  re- 
mained one  year.     A  vacancy  of  five  months  followed. 

Up  to  this  time  the  congregation  had  followed  the  un-Lutheran 
practice  of  electing  the  pastor  and  "hiring"  him  each  year.  This 
was  the  occasion  of  much  strife,  those  who  did  not  like  the  pastor, 
voting  and  working  against  him  and  making  it  very  unpleasant. 
The  annual  congregational  meetings  were  not  the  most  harmonious. 
In  1886,  Rev.  Delo  at  Synod  reported  that  Lawrence  had  just  had 
"Its  annual  earthquake."     Under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  S.  B.  Hy- 


118  THE    LAWRENCE   CHURCH. 

man,  serious  difficulty  arose,  and  a  number  of  families  left  the 
church. 

On  May  1st,  1889,  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger  became  pastor  and  mis- 
sionary. He  found  a  small  band  of  members,  weakened  and  dis- 
heartened, with  a  church  poorly  heated  and  lighted,  and  badly  in 
need  of  repairs.  With  the  coming  of  the  new  pastor,  new  life  was 
infused  into  the  hopes  of  the  congregation.  The  first  year  a  new 
roof  was  placed  on  the  building,  a  cellar  dug  and  furnace  put  un- 
der, and  a  better  system  of  lighting  introduced.  Bro.  Yarger  soon 
began  an  agitation  for  the  paying  off  of  the  loan  made  by  the 
Board  of  Church  Extension  when  the  church  was  built.  A  pay- 
ment of  six  hundred  dollars  was  made  in  the  earlier  part  of  his 
pastorate,  and  the  balance  on  the  occasion  of  the  25th  Anniversary 
of  the  organization  of  the  church,  which  celebration  was  held  on 
March  18th-20th,  1892,  at  which  time  also  the  congregation  re- 
solved to  become  self  sustaining.  Drs.  Clutz,  Barnitz  and  Rev. 
Altman  were  present  sharing  the  joy  of  the  congregation  in  the 
remarkable  progress  which  had  been  made.  On  October  31,  1893, 
Rev.  Yarger  presented  his  resignation,  and  was  succeeded  on  Dec- 
ember 15th  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Griffith  who  remained  until  April  1st, 
1897.  During  the  summer  of  1897  Rev.  B.  R.  Lantz,  a  student 
from  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  supplied  the  congregation.  In  September 
Rev.  W.  E.  Brehm  became  the  pastor.  During  the  spring  of  1900 
the  congregation  decided  to  build  an  addition  to  the  church  thirty 
by  forty  feet  for  a  Sunday  school  room,  pastor's  study,  and  a 
primary  room  in  the  basement.  At  the  same  time  the  whole  prop- 
erty was  greatly  improved  by  new  pews,  paper  and  paint,  at  an 
entire  cost  of  $2,800.  The  re-opening  took  place  November  3-6, 
and  was  an  occasion  of  great  rejoicing.  Drs.  Clutz,  Barnitz  and 
Altman  were  present.  All  indebtedness  was  fully  met.  Early  in 
1901  the  congregation  bought  and  paid  for  a  lot  upon  which  to 
erect  a  parsonage.  Rev.  Brehm  resigned  in  September  of  the  same 
year,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Shrader,  who  served  the 
congregation  for  nearly  one  year. 

Rev.  E.  E.  Stauffer  took  charge  as  pastor  on  January  1st,  1903. 
During  the  summer  of  1905  a  commodious  parsonage  was  erected 
on  the  lot  adjoining  the  church.  The  building  is  frame,  containing 
ten  rooms  including  the  reception  hall  and  bath  rooms.  The  cost 
was  $3,000,  half  of  which  amount  was  raised  when  the  building 
was  completed.  A  complete  heating  plant  was  installed  in  the 
church  during  the  fall  of  1905. 

This  church  is  well  equipped  with  a  full  complement  of  societies. 


ST.    PAUL'S,  LONG   ISLAND.  119 

Its  missionary  society  ranks  among  the  oldest  in  the  Synod,  having 
been  organized  in  1886.  The  church  reports  156  communicant 
members,  and  property  valued  at  $11,000,  with  indebtedness,  part- 
ially provided  for,  amounting  to  $2,100. 


LAWRENCE,  ST.  PAUL'S,  (German.) 

In  1879  this  church  was  served  by  Rev.  C.  F.  W.  Treptow,  who 
applied  for  membership  in  Kansas  Synod  at  its  second  convention 
in  the  spring  of  the  same  year.  He  was  admitted  upon  the  strength 
of  his  own  statements  and  without  letter.  At  the  October  conven- 
tion of  the  Synod,  the  same  year,  his  congregation  was  admitted. 
The  following  year  the  church  erected  a  building,  and  a  delegation 
came  from  the  church  charging  the  pastor  with  mis-appropriating 
building  funds.  The  pastor  was  deposed  from  the  ministry  and 
later  the  church  withdrew  from  the  Synod. 


LONG  ISLAND,  ST.  PAUL'S. 

This  church  was  another  organized  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Kimmel  while 
he  was  serving  as  "Home  Missionary  for  the  Republican  Valley." 
He  made  his  first  visit  to  Long  Island  in  March,  1886,  and  on  the 
25th  of  the  same  month  organized  St.  Paul's  Ev.  Lutheran  church 
with  nine  charter  members.  A  few  weeks  later  it  was  decided  to 
erect  a  church  building,  and  ground  was  broken  at  once.  The  cor- 
ner stone  was  laid  on  the  24th  of  June,  and  by  September  the 
church  was  ready  for  occupancy.  It  was  dedicated  on  the  5th  of 
September  amid  great  rejoicing,  as  it  was  the  only  church  building 
in  the  town  and  surrounding  country.  At  the  last  moment  a  tele- 
gram brought  the  unpleasant  news  that  the  preacher  who  was  to 
have  delivered  the  dedicatory  sermon  would  not  be  present.  This 
greatly  disconcerted  the  pastor,  but  as  if  to  compensate  for  his  ab- 
sence "The  Franklin  Cornet  Band"  from  a  neighboring  town  came 
as  a  surprise  to  furnish  the  music  for  the  occasion.  It  was  the  first 
band  to  play  in  the  town  and  shortly  seemingly  every  soul  in  the 
village  was  snugly  in  place  in  the  church,  and  pastor  Kimmel  was 
inspired  to  preach  his  own  dedicatory  sermon.  The  building  was  of 
wood  28  by  50  feet  with  a  pulpit  recess  4  by  9  feet  and  a  vestibule 
6  by  9  feet.  It  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $1,200.  The  very  generous 
contributions  of  Messrs  A.  A.  Mischke  and  A.  C.  Hayes  together 


120  st.  paul's,  long  island. 

with  a  loan  of  $300  from  the  Church  Extension  Board  was  a  key  to 
the  financial  success  of  the  enterprise.  The  entire  debt  was  pro- 
vided for  on  the  day  of  dedication  with  the  exception  of  the  loan 
referred  to.  This  church  was  referred  to  in  the  Missionary  Journal 
at  that  time  as  a  model  of  an  inexpensive  chapel  for  the  frontier. 
The  Church  Extension  Board  was  very  willing  to  put  $300  into 
such  buildings  to  make  the  enterprise  a  success.  It  certainly  was 
a  God-send  to  the  Short  Grass  Country  in  a  time  when  there  were 
no  churches  at  all  in  which  the  people  might  gather  for  worship. 
Rev.  Kimmel  supplied  the  church  till  April,  1887.     He  was  follow- 


ST.   PAULS  CHURCH. 

ed  by  Rev.  Peter  Ewald  from  May,  1887,  to  December.  Rev.  J.  W. 
Kimmel  became  pastor  from  Jan.,  1888  to  Sept.,  1889.  He  was  fol- 
lowed by  Rev.  J.  B.  Umberger  for  one  year,  and  then  he  returned 
and  served  the  church  till  May,  1890.  Rev.  M.  L.  Kunkleman  was 
a  supply  for  a  few  months  between  1891  and  1894.  Rev.  Jonas 
Freet  was  pastor  from  August,  1894  to  Oct.,  1893,  and  again  from 
May,  1899  to  July,  1900.  Rev.  J.  T.  Miller  took  charge  in  1900, 
serving  it  till  Sept.,  1904,  and  in  February  following  Rev.  M.  F. 
Rinker  took  charge,  who  remained  until  April  1,  1906.  On  the  1st 
of  October  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  J.  B.  Grove,  took  charge.  The 
church  at  first  was  alone  in  the  support  of  a  pastor  but  in  1895  it 
was  united  with  Norcatur  in  a  pastoral  charge.  Its  loan  to  the 
Church  Extension  Board  was  returned  in  1905.  The  congregation 
reports  38  members  and  a  property  valued  at  $1,200.  It  was  ad- 
mitted into  the  Synod  in  1886. 


ST.   PAUL'S,  MANCHESTER.  121 

MANCHESTER,  ST.  PAUL'S. 

While  Rev.  N.  A.  Whitman  was  serving  the  Ebenezer  charge 
south  of  Chapman  his  attention  was  called  to  a  community  in  the 
northwest  corner  of  Dickinson  county  about  the  town  of  Keystone 
where  some  ardent  Lutherans  resided.  He  visited  the  section  and 
arranged  for  the  holding  of  services  in  the  Keystone  school  house 
during  the  summer  of  1886.  On  the  15th  of  August  he  organized 
St.  Paul's  Ev.  Lutheran  church  with  twenty-two  charter  members, 
adopting  a  constitution  and  electing  officers.  This  congregation 
formally  made  application  for  membership  in  the  Kansas  Synod 
that  fall  and  was  admitted.  The  church  had  no  building  of  its  own 
and  worshipped  in  the  school  house  during  its  entire  existence  at 
Keystone.  Rev.  Whitman  was  succeeded  in  1888  by  Rev.  Jonas 
Freet,  who  served  the  church  as  pastor  while  conducting  a  small 
general  store  in  the  village  of  Keystone.  When  the  Santa  Fe  rail- 
road built  its  Superior  branch  northwest  from  Abilene  the  new  town 
of  Manchester  sprang  up  located  on  the  railway,  a  movement  which 
practically  killed  the  village  of  Keystone  and  eventually  wiped  it 
off  the  map.  The  congregation  was  accordingly  moved  to  the  rail- 
road town  in  the  fall  of  1887  and  in  the  following  spring  the  pas- 
tor started  in  to  raise  funds  for  a  church  building.  The  enterprise 
was  made  possible  by  Mr.  C.  H.  Lebold  of  Abilene  who  gave  $500 
and  paid  one-half  of  the  pastor's  salary.  As  there  was  as  yet  no 
church  in  the  town  he  met  with  encouragement  on  every  hand.  One 
of  the  best  building  lots  in  the  place  was  secured.  In  a  day  and 
a  half  he  had  secured  over  $500.  Parties  who  could  not  contribute 
cash  gave  their  negotiable  notes.  A  visit  from  Rev.  J.  N.  Lenker, 
Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Church  Extension,  greatly  encouraged 
them.  The  latter  promised  them  a  loan  of  $300  from  his  Board. 
Plans  were  adopted  for  the  erection  of  a  modest  chapel  28  by  46 
feet,  with  a  vestibule  7  by  9  feet,  and  on  the  2nd  of  September, 
1888,  the  church  was  dedicated  to  the  great  joy  of  both  pastor  and 
congregation  and  community.  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz,  preached  the 
sermon,  Rev.  N.  A.  Whitman  was  also  present.  The  church  cost 
$1,615.    The  Church  Extension  Board  loaned  them  $300. 

The  church  not  being  able  to  support  a  pastor  was  given  aid  by 
the  Mission  Board  beginning  in  November,  1889.  Rev.  Freet  re- 
signed May  31st,  1891.  On  January  1,  1892,  Rev.  W.  J.  Kurtz  was 
commissioned  missionary,  but  he  remained  only  a  few  months. 

Following  this  the  church  was  vacant  for  over  twelve  years,  and 
with  this  vacancy  went  all  the  disintegrating  influences  of  a  pastor- 


122  ST.    JAMES',    MANCHESTER. 

less  church.  In  1901,  at  the  urgent  request  of  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger, 
Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Church  Extension,  Rev.  Peter  Bergstres- 
ser,  D.  D.,  then  living  at  Abilene  began  holding  services  in  the  old 
church  and  on  June  16th,  1902,  re-organized  the  scattered  congre- 
gation, and  continued  to  serve  them  with  acceptance  until  April, 
1903.  Rev.  J.  N.  Zimmer  served  the  church  after  this  for  a  time. 
The  loan  of  $300  for  the  building  of  the  church  is  yet  due  the 
Board  of  Church  Extension:  For  a  while  the  charge  was  connec- 
ted with  St.  James  church  south  of  Abilene.  It  reported  in  1905 
eighteen  members.  No  services  are  being  held  there  at  present. 
In  May,  1907,  the  property  was  deeded  to  the  Board  of  Church  Ex- 
tension and  the  congregation  disbanded  as  only  three  possibly  four 
Lutheran   families  remained  in  the  church. 


MANCHESTER,  ST.  JAMES'. 

Early  in  the  Eighties  a  colony  composed  of  a  number  of  families 
from  in  and  around  Gettysburg,  Pennsylvania,  and  who  were  mem- 
bers largely  of  St.  James  Lutheran  church  there,  settled  in  George's 
valley  on  farms  about  five  miles  south  of  Abilene.  At  the  sugges- 
tion of  Mr.  C.  H.  Lebold,  an  ardent  churchman  of  the  Trinity  church 
at  Abilene,  this  field  was  canvassed  by  Rev.  S.  Palmer  and  Messrs 
G.  F.  Minter  and  A.  Heindel.  Mr.  Lebold  offered  to  bear  half  of 
the  expense  in  the  support  of  a  pastor,  and  in  the  summer  of  1888, 
Rev.  R.  B.  Whitehill  began  preaching  in  one  of  the  school  houses. 
Shortly  after  this  he  organized  a  church  of  twenty  charter  mem- 
bers, and  named  the  church  after  the  spiritual  mother  of  most  of 
those  who  entered  the  organization,  St.  James'  of  Gettysburg.  Steps 
were  at  once  taken  for  the  erection  of  a  church  building.  Mr.  A. 
Heindel  donated  an  acre  of  land,  and  Mr.  Lebold,  who  oft-time  was 
present  in  the  congregation,  and  whose  carriage  very  frequently 
brought  the  preacher  out  to  his  appointment,  offered  to  give  $500 
toward  the  erection  of  a  building.  The  building  was  pushed  to 
completion  at  once.  It  was  composed  of  wood,  30  by  40  feet,  and 
was  dedicated  on  the  8th  of  September,  1889,  Rev.  F.  M.  Porch 
preaching  the  sermon.  On  the  day  of  dedication  there  was  $450 
to  raise  all  of  which  and  more  was  raised.  The  entire  cost  of  the 
building  was  $2,145.60.  The  church  at  that  time  was  served  in 
connection  with  the  New  Cambria  church,  in  1889-90,  and  with 
St.  Paul's  and  Banner  City  in  1891-92,  with  Rev.  B.  F.  Hills  as 
pastor,  and  with  Mt.  Zion  church  with  Rev.  H.  A.  Koogle  as  pastor 


ST.   PAUL'S,   MINNEAPOLIS.  123 

in  1893-4-5-6-7.  In  1898  and  1899  the  church  was  vacant  but  was 
supplied  now  and  then  by  Rev.  H.  C.  Haithcox,  D.  D.,  of  Abilene. 
Rev.  J.  F.  Petticrew  took  charge  in  1900.  In  1901  it  was  united 
with  St.  Paul's  of  Manchester  with  Rev.  Peter  Bergstresser,  D.  D., 
as  supply.  The  latter  was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  N.  Zimmer  in  1904. 
At  present  the  church  is  without  a  pastor.  It  reported  twenty  mem- 
bers in  its  last  report  to  Synod  and  has  property  valued  at  $1,500. 


MINNEAPOLIS,  ST.  PAUL'S. 

The  long  residence  of  Rev.  W.  C.  Seidel  in  Minneapolis  from 
1876  to  1887,  preaching  over  four  counties,  made  him  a  spiritual 
father  in  that  community.  He  was  stationed  here  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  Wolfensperger  of  Sterling,  Illinois,  as  a  western  missionary, 
and  largely  supported  by  them.  After  preaching  in  school  houses 
for  several  years  he  organized  St.  Paul's  church  on  the  21st  of 
November,  1879,  with  forty-three  members.  This  church  had  a 
great  struggle  for  existence.  It  was  unable  to  build  a  house  of 
worship  for  itself  and  the  Extension  Board  at  that  time  was  unable 
to  give  it  necessary  aid.  For  a  number  of  years  it  held  its  services 
in  various  school  houses.  Then  came  the  drouth  seasons  which 
greatly  impoverished  the  people  causing  many  to  move  away.  The 
church  languished  and  finally  ceased  to  exist  although  a  few  mem- 
bers were  still  left  there.  For  several  years  Rev.  Seidel  continued 
to  preach  in  a  school  house  two  miles  southeast  of  Minneapolis. 
There  is  no  record  of  this  earlier  church  ever  being  received  into 
Kansas  Synod,  possibly  an  omission  on  the  part  of  the  secretary, 
for  it  was  on  the  roll  and  was  regularly  apportioned  and  contribut- 
ed accordingly. 

The  church  was  re-organized  under  the  same  name  November  10, 
1884,  with  twenty-five  charter  members  by  Rev.  Seidel,  and  read- 
mitted into  Synod.  They  began  at  once  to  buiTd  a  church  home, 
Pastor  Seidel  donating  the  lots  for  the  same,  and  his  relatives  giv- 
ing S800  towards  the  building.  The  Church  Extension  Board  do- 
nated $460  and  loaned  $300.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  October 
4,  1885,  and  the  structure  dedicated  March  28th,  1886,  Rev.  Dr.  F. 
W.  Conrad,  preaching  the  sermon,  assisted  by  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz. 
The  building  is  a  frame  Gothic  structure,  36  by  46,  with  a  tower 
65  feet  high,  and  a  pulpit  recess.  The  windows  are  of  stained 
glass.  The  interior  is  ceiled  with  yellow  pine  and  the  seating  and 
chancel  furniture  of  good  order.     The  cost  including  the  lot  was 


124  st.  john's,  Minneapolis. 

$3,735  all  of  which  was  provided  for  on  the  day  of  dedication  save 
the  Church  Extension  loan.  This  latter  loan  was  partly  liquidated 
some  years  after.  The  church  is  a  momument  to  the  zeal  and  faith 
of  the  pastor  and  his  devoted  wife.  For  a  while  this  congregation 
enjoyed  an  unusual  degree  of  prosperity,  however  in  later  years, 
owing  to  the  removal  of  members  and  some  strife  over  politics  and 
secret  society  matters,  the  congregation  has  languished.  Rev. 
Seidel  resigned  in  June,  1887,  after  ten  years  of  faithful  service, 
during  which  time  the  church  received  no  aid  from  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Board.  Two  months  later  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  C.  A. 
Eyler  who  was  commissioned  pastor  by  the  Home  Mission  Board. 
He  was  succeeded  in  May,  1890,  by  Rev.  M.  F.  Rinker  who  re- 
mained a  year.  After  a  vacancy  of  a  year  Rev.  J.  F.  Sponseller 
fook  charge  Dec,  1891.  Under  his  pastorate  the  church  again 
flourished.  A  parsonage  was  bought  with  the  aid  of  St.  John's 
church.  He  remained  almost  eight  years.  In  March,  1899,  Rev. 
J.  F.  Scherer  took  charge  dividing  his  time  between  preaching  and 
organizing  secret  societies.  Difficulties  arising  he  served  a  part  of 
his  time  preaching  to  but  one  of  the  congregations  of  the  charge, 
namely  St.  John's.  He  resigned  May  30,  1901.  After  a  vacancy 
of  two  years  Rev.  W.  F.  Poot  took  charge,  remaining  a  year  and 
a  half.  The  charge  is  at  present  without  a  pastor.  St.  Paul's 
church  was  united  with  St.  John's  church  as  a  pastoral  charge. 
Since  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Seidel  the  charge  has  been  continuously 
aided  by  the  Mission  Board.  A  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society  was  organized  in  1885,  which  was  maintained  until 
1904.  At  the  present  time  St.  Paul's  church  has  scarcely  a  dozen 
members.     Its  property  is  valued  at  $5,000. 


MINNEAPOLIS,  ST.  JOHN'S. 

The  pioneer  work  in  establishing  St.  John's  church  was  done  by 
Rev.  W.  C.  Seidel  while  he  was  residing  at  Minneapolis.  For  a  time 
he  held  services  in  the  Summerville  school  house  located  four  miles 
south  of  Delphos,  and  finally  on  the  26th  of  May,  1878,  he  organ- 
ized with  the  following  charter  members:  John  D.  Stetler,  Henry 
Stetler,  Margaret  Stetler,  Henry  Stetler,  Sophia  Stetler,  Fred  Stet- 
ler, Sophia  Stetler  Jr.,  Herman  Stetler,  Kati  Stetler,  Mrs.  Anna 
Kahli,  John  Kahli,  Fred  Hoesli,  Anna  Hoesli,  Henry  Hoesli,  Henry 
Muller,  Maria  Muller,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Schailler.  This  con- 
gregation was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  the  same  year.     Some 


GRACE,    MINNEAPOLIS.  125 

time  later  the  Summerville  school  district  was  divided  and  the  house 
sold.  The  congregation  was  first  moved  to  the  south  part  of  the 
district,  but  later  to  the  more  convenient  Locust  Hill  school  house 
where  they  are  to  this  day.  Through  a  mistake  this  church  was 
called  "St.  James"  church  in  some  of  the  later  minutes  of  the  Kan- 
sas Synod,  confusing  it  with  a  church  organized  by  Rev.  J.  F.  Spon- 
seller. 

St.  John's  congregation  owns  jointly  the  parsonage  at  Minne- 
apolis and  always  has  been  a  part  of  that  charge.  For  a  list  of  its 
pastors  see  the  sketch  of  the  Minneapolis  church.  It  was  supported 
by  the  Mission  Board  from  1887  to  quite  recent  times.  At  this  writ- 
ing St.  John's  report  forty  members,  and  although  it  has  no  build- 
ing it  is  most  decidedly  the  stronger  church  of  the  charge.  Part  of 
the  time  recently  it  has  been  supplied  by  Rev.  Dr.  R.  P.  Schiemmel- 
pfennig  of  Glasco. 


MINNEAPOLIS,  GRACE. 

While  Rev.  J.  F.  Sponseller  was  pastor  at  Minneapolis  he  was 
requested  by  Mr.  George  Scherer  to  come  out  to  the  Ohio  Grove 
school  house  and  preach  for  them  because  they  had  "such  poor 
sticks  of  preachers  there."  Arrangements  were  made  for  the  hold- 
ing of  a  service  on  Sunday  afternoons  every  two  weeks.  This  was 
followed  in  the  winter  of  1893-4  by  the  holding  of  a  two  weeks' 
gospel  meeting  which  resulted  in  twenty-seven  making  a  profes- 
sion of  faith.  Although  there  was  at  that  time  an  M.  E.  congrega- 
tion meeting  in  this  school  house  these  converts  preferred  to  unite 
with  a  Lutheran  church,  and  accordingly  in  the  spring  he  organ- 
ized a  congregation  with  29  charter  members  among  whom  were  the 
following:  George  Scherer  and  wife,  fm.  Farnsworth  and  wife, 
James  Farnsworth  and  wife,  Howard  Snooke  and  wife  and  two 
sons,  Mrs.  A.  B.  Rousch,  Rollin  Kresky,  Maggie  Kresky,  Oscar  Mc- 
Clintock,  Mrs.  Anna  Lapshire  and  daughter,  and  Mr.  Henry  Kan- 
aar  and  wife.  A  constitution  was  adopted  which  gave  the  church 
the  name  "Grace."  Shortly  after  this  a  large  Christian  Endeavor 
society  comprising  about  seventy  members  was  organized  out  of 
the  people  of  both  churches  which  worshipped  in  that  school  house. 
The  congregation  was  received  into  Kansas  Synod  in  the  fall  of 
1893,  and  was  served  in  connection  with  the  Minneapolis  charge. 
It  remained  on  the  roll  of  Synod  till  1899.  Having  no  property  and 
owing  to  removals  the  congregation  disintegrated  . 


126 


THE   MORAY  CHURCH. 


MORAY,  EV.  LUTHERAN. 

The  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Moray  enjoys  the  distinction  of  be- 
ing one  of  the  Kansas  churches  organized  prior  to  the  founding  of 
the  Synod.  While  Rev.  David  Earhart  was  residing  on  his  farm  on 
Stranger  creek  in  Atchison  county  and  preaching  for  Christ's  Luth- 
eran church  there,  and  also  for  a  church  he  had  founded  at  Vin- 
land  in  Douglas  county,  and  at  Brush  creek  in  Doniphan  county, 
and  also  serving  as  a  supply  at  couple  other  points,  congregations 
in  a  circuit  of  some  over  one  hundred  miles,  he  began  to  hold  ser- 
vices in  the  house  of  Mr.  Osul  Nelson,  a  loyal  Lutheran,  whose 
heart  always  warmed  at  the  sight  of  a  Lutheran  pastor.  After 
preaching  here  for  several  years,  he  finally  organized  an  Ev.  Luth- 
eran church  in  the  Prairie  Grove  school  house  on  the  24th  of  May, 
1866.-  The  following  were  the  charter  members:  Charles  Lad  wig, 
Caroline  Ladwig,  Albert  Ladwig,  Caroline  Albers,  Osul  Nelson, 
Mollie  Nelson,  Gunil  Nelson,  Gurina  Nelson,  Nels  Nelson,  Hans 
Nelson,  Asa  Nelson,  Gullorm  Steanson,  Christian  Turkleson,  Aug- 
usta Nelson,  and  Sarah  Wilson. 

The  congregation  worshipped   for  a  while  in  the  Prairie  Grove 


EV.   LUTHERAN   CHURCH. 


THE   MORAY  CHURCH.  127 

school,  house,  and  afterwards  transferred  the  services  to  the  Rock 
Creek  school  house,  and  later  to  that  located  at  East  Norway. 
While  this  congregation  was  not  represented  by  either  its  pastor 
or  a  lay  delegate  at  the  organization  of  Kansas  Synod  in  1868,  be- 
cause of  a  misunderstanding,  it  was  represented  at  the  second  con- 
vention and  both  pastor  and  congregation  were  duly  received  after 
the  Synod  had  given  assurances  that  it  was  "planted  squarely  on 
the  Augsburg  Confession  and  Luther's  Small  Catechism." 

Rev.  Earhart  served  this  congregation  until  October  1,  1871.  On 
the  latter  date  Rev.  N.  C.  Brun  became  pastor,  serving  the  church 
until  1874.  While  the  church  at  this  time  was  a  member  of  Kan- 
sas Synod  its  pastor  belonged  to  the  Norwegian-Danish  Synod.  On 
the  14th  of  November,  1875,  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Peter  Hend- 
ricksen  of  the  Norwegian  Synod  of  North  America.  In  April,  1878, 
Rev.  Prof.  Charles  Martin,  M.  D.,  Principal  of  the  St.  Joseph 
Young  Ladies'  Institute,  became  pastor.  For  about  four  years  Dr. 
Martin  held  services  in  the  East  Norway  school  house.  However 
as  the  congregation  was  growing  stronger  and  the  people  more 
well  to  do  and  the  school  house  furnishing  ill-adapted  quarters,  the 
congregation  decided  late  in  the  fall  of  1882  to  undertake  the  erec- 
tion of  a  church  building.  A  subscription  was  taken,  funds  being 
liberally  subscribed,  and  the  work  pushed  at  once  to  completion. 
The  corner  stone  was  laid  on  the  14th  of  April  following.  The 
plans  adopted  called  for  a  neat  frame  structure,  32  by  50  feet,  with 
a  tower  and  belfrey.  The  exterior  presents  a  pleasing  appearance 
the  architecture  being  Swiss.  The  acoustics  of  the  interior  are  ex- 
cellent, and  the  furnishing  and  seating  in  good  taste.  The  entire 
cost  was  $3,049.  The  building  was  dedicated  on  the  26th  of  Aug- 
ust, 1883,  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz,  Western  Secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Home  Missions,  preaching  the  sermon  from  Psa.  50:2,  "Out  of 
Zion  the  perfection  of  beauty  ,God  hath  shined."  No  appeal  was 
made  for  money,  all  liabilities  having  been  provided  for.  Dr.  Mar- 
tin served  the  church  until  June,  1894.  la  April  of  the  following 
year  President  Clutz  of  Midland  College  began  to  preach  for  them 
and  continued  as  pastor  until  February,  1904.  Since  that  time  Rev. 
F.  D.  Altman,  D.  D.,  President  of  the  Western  Theological  Semin- 
ary, has  served  this  church. 

The  Moray  church  is  one  of  the  very  few  of  our  churches  in 
Kansas  Synod  which  has  never  received  any  aid  from  the  Home 
Mission  Board  or  the  Church  Extension  Board.  It  has  been  fort- 
unate in  being  able  to  secure  pastors  whose  salaries  were  assured 
by  the  educational  institution  over  which  they  presided,  thus  not 


128  THE    NEW    CAMBRIA    CHURCH. 

being  obliged  continuously  to  provide  the  entire  living  of  a  pastor. 
The  church  has  a  good  Woman's  Missionary  Society  organized  in 
1881,  also  a  very  efficient  young  ladies'  society  of  "The  Kings 
Daughters."  Late  reports  give  it  102  communicants,  and  property 
valued  at  S3,000.  This  church  rarely  if  ever  failed  to  raise  its  en- 
tire apportionment  for  the  synodical  benevolences,  now  and  then 
doubling  it.  Being  near  Midland  College,  and  having  no  compet- 
ative  institutions  near  it,  it  has  sant  a  large  number  of  students  to 
Midland,  the  total  being  between  thirty  and  forty.  The  member- 
ship consists  of  sturdy  farmers  whose  loyalty  to  the  church  of  their 
fathers  has  made  this  church  one  of  the  most  efficient  for  its  size 
within  the  bounds  of  Kansas  Synod. 


NEW  CAMBRIA,  FIRST  ENGLISH. 

What  is  now  known  as  the  First  English  Lutheran  church  of  New 
Cambria  had  its  origin  in  a  small  school  house  near  the  junction 
of  the  Saline  and  the  Smoky  Hill  rivers  about  six  miles  east  of 
Salina.  Services  had  been  held  here  now  and  then  inaugurated 
by  Messrs  S.  P.  Donmyer,  Lewis  Donmyer,  Sr.,  Jacob  Donmyer 
and  John  Shank,  great  hearted  Germans,  with  a  loyalty  to  the 
Lutheran  church  which  could  not  be  doubted.  Rev.  Charles  Young 
of  Salina  was  invited  to  conduct  services  for  them  which  resulted, 
on  April  20th,  1873,  in  the  organization  of  a  church.  Rev.  Young 
was  the  chairman  of  the  meeting,  and  Mr.  S.  P.  Donmyer  was  sec- 
retary. A  constitution  was  adopted,  and  the  following  charter  mem- 
bers enrolled:  S.  P.  Donmyer,  Wm.  Vaupel  Sr.,  Lewis  Donmyer, 
Sr.,  Jacob  Donmyer,  Lewis  Donmyer,  Jr.,  G.  B.  Donmyer,  J.  R. 
Stiffler,  Mrs.  A.  E.  Vaupel,  Mrs.  Sarah  Donmyer,  Mrs.  Susan  Don- 
myer, Mrs.  Elisabeth  Donmyer,  Mrs.  Lovina  Donmyer,  Mrs.  Eliz- 
abeth Slonaker,  and  Mrs.  Mary  C.  Stiffler,  all  coming  from  Cam- 
bria county,  Pennsylvania;  also  John  Shank,  Henry  Shank,  Henry 
Burr,  Wm.  Megran,  Lewis  Bucher,  Frederick  Shank,  Charles  C. 
Hahn,  Rose  E.  Bean,  and  Catharine  Link.  The  following  officers 
were  elected:  Elders,  Lewis  Donmyer,  Sr.,  Wm.  Vaupel,  Sr. ;  Dea- 
cons, Jacob  Donmyer  and  John  Shank;  Trustees,  S.  P.  Donmyer, 
Chas.  C.  Hahn,  and  Lewis  Donmyer,  Jr.  The  church  was  named 
by  Lewis  Donmyer,  Jr.,  the  "Lutheran  church  of  the  Saline  River, 
Saline  county,  Kansas."  When  it  was  admitted  into  synod  that  fall 
it  was  called  "The  Peace  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  New  Cambria." 
The  first  communion  service  held  by  the  young  congregation  was 


PEACE  CHURCH,  NEW  CAMBRIA.  129 

in  the  barn  of  Lewis  Donmyer,  Sr.,  in  June  following  its  organiza- 
tion, when  twenty-four  partook  of  the  Holy  Sacrament.  After  a 
season  the  services  were  held  in  a  school  house  near  the  village 
of  New  Cambria.  For  the  first  three  years  Rev.  Young  preached 
for  them  regularly  every  two  weeks.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
W.  C.  Seidel  in  June,  1876,  who  continued  as  a  supply  for  a  year 


ENGLISH    LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 

and  a  half.  The  work  of  Rev.  Seidel  was  largely  a  labor  of  love 
for  he  received  very  little  salary  and  even  less  support  of  a  spirit- 
ual nature.  These  were  dark  days  but  the  faithful  pastor  regularly 
attended  to  his  ministry  which  was  not  at  all  in  vain.  In  1877  Rev. 
A.  J.  Hartsock  became  pastor  serving  them  about  ten  months  in 
connection  with  the  Salina  church.  He  was  followed  in  October, 
1878,  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Kirtland  who  served  the  New  Cambria  con- 
gregation and  St.  Paul's  church  in  Walnut  township,  some  eight 
miles  to  the  south.  He  had  many  dark  days  in  his  school  house 
ministrations,  with  small  audiences  and  an  indifferent  people,  but 
he  continued  faithfully  sowing  the  seed  for  four  years.     Rev.  S.  P. 


130  THE   NEW  CAMBRIA  CHURCH. 

Harrington  was  called  in  November,  1882,  remaining  for  a  year, 
but  was  not  able  to  make  much  progress.  Then  the  congregation 
recalled  Rev.  Kirtland,  in  1883,  who  at  once  began  the  agitation  of 
erecting  a  building  believing  that  could  he  get  the  people  to  doing 
something  it  would  be  the  salvation  of  the  church.  He  started  the 
ball  to  rolling  at  once,  purchased  lots  for  a  site  and  on  the  17th 
of  May  the  corner  stone  was  laid  for  a  substantial  stone  building 
36  by  54  feet.  Mr.  S.  P.  Donmyer  gave  $1,000  toward  the  build- 
ing, and  had  the  others  given  as  liberally  the  church  could  have 
been  furnished  and  dedicated  without  delay.  However  it  was  part- 
ly completed  and  used  but  with  a  distressing  debt  hanging  over  it. 
It  remained  for  another  pastor  to  finish  the  building.  Rev.  Kirtland 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  J.  Hartsock  who  supplied  the  church 
during  1887,  and  through  th3  following  year  Prof.  O.  G.  Klinger 
performed  a  similar  service.  Rev.  R.  B.  Whitehill  took  charge  in 
the  latter  part  of  1888  who  lived  at  Abilene  and  served  the  St. 
James  church  in  Dickinson  county  in  addition  to  this  charge.  The 
Sunday  school  up  to  this  time  had  been  a  "union"  affair.  This  was 
not  thought  to  be  conducive  to  Lutheran  success,  so  the  pastor  set 
forth  a  movement  to  re-organize  it,  as  a  strictly  Lutheran  school. 
Although  it  made  a  little  stir  in  the  doing,  the  change  was  entirely 
effected.  In  1891  Rev.  J.  B.  Umberger  was  called.  The  following 
year  a  movement  was  inaugurated  for  the  completion  of  the  church. 
It  had  been  standing  since  1885,  somewhat  unfiinished,  and  with 
a  crushing  debt  of  $1,000.  Rev.  Lenker  the  Western  Secretary  of 
the  Board  of  Church  Extension  was  asked  to  come  and  talk  Ger- 
man to  the  people  and  make  a  house  to  house  canvass  for  the  pur- 
pose of  raising  money  for  the  day  of  dedication.  Mr.  Lenker  per- 
suaded Mr.  Donmyer,  who  had  given  $1,000  when  the  building  was 
first  erected,  to  give  $250,  in  addition,  and  so  from  others  good 
help  was  obtained,  and  on  the  17th  of  July,  1892,  amid  a  magnifi- 
cent wheat  harvest,  the  building  was  dedicated.  The  dedicatory 
sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz,  and  all  indebtedness 
wiped  out  between  the  appeals  of  the  two  secretaries.  Rev.  Um- 
berger was  succeeded  in  September,  1894,  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Long  who 
remained  until  the  fall  of  1898.  Rev.  J.  J.  Chambers  took  charge 
in  November  the  same  year,  serving  the  charge  until  1903.  During 
the  latter's  pastorate  a  comfortable  parsonage  of  six  rooms  was 
purchased.  It  has  a  large  lot  100  by  330  feet,  is  conveniently  locat- 
ed and  well  appointed,  with  a  small  indebtedness  of  $400  remain- 
ing on  it.  In  December  1903  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  F.  Cress- 
ler  who  remained  on  the  field  until  the  31st  of  October,  1906.    The 


ST.    PAUL'S,    NEW    CAMBRIA    CHARGE. 


131 


church  reported  75  communicant  members  in  1906,  and  property 
valued  at  $4,500.  In  January,  1907,  all  remaining  indebtedness 
was  liquidated.  This  church  for  a  while  was  known  as  the  Don- 
myer  church. 


NEW  CAMBRIA,  ST.  PAUL'S. 

Among  the  good  Lutherans  who  resided  in  Walnut  Township, 
Saline  county,  was  one  Charles  Shirar,  in  whose  heart  warmly 
burned  the  love  of  God,  and  being  anxious  for  the  good  of  his  fam- 
ily, his  own  soul  and  the  neighbors  about  him,  urged  upon  the 
community  the  need  of  a  church  where  the  Word  could  be  preached 
and  the  Holy  Sacraments  administered  according  to  the  gospel. 
At  that  time  Rev.  Charles  Young  was  pastor  of  the  Salina  mission, 
and  to  him  Mr.  Shirar  went  with  the  request  that  he  take  up  work 


M 

'^sw. 

-     19u 

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HJ    "i^ 

TkS *  a  2*2. 
Tmmm  iMM  HE 

Ibismi  IfeiMMMPfa  Sat*! 

■  llW^O  PHlH 
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ST.   PAUL'S    (THE   "OLD   STONE   CHURCH.") 

in  Walnut  Township  in  addition  to  his  regular  work.  This  the  mis- 
sion board  would  not  permit  on  account  of  the  advanced  age  of 
Rev.  Young,  then  in  his  sixty-ninth  year,  however  he  occasionally 
preached  for  them  in  a  small  school  house  to  the  southeast  of 
where  the  church  now  stands.  His  ministrations  were  not  without 
fruit  and  in  the  fall  of  1874  the  organization  of  St.  Paul's  Ev.  Luth- 
eran Church  of  Walnut  Township,  sometimes  called  "The  Shirar 
church,"  was  effected  by  Pastor  Young,  with  the   following  eight 


132  ST.    PAUL'S,    NEW    CAMBRIA    CHARGE. 

charter  members:  Charles  and  Lucinda  Shirar,  Riley  Shirar,  Wil- 
liam Shirar,  Samuel  and  Mattie  BatdorfT  and  George  and  Mary  E. 
Bull.  For  three  years  Rev.  Young  supplied  them  with  preaching 
once  a  month.  The  compensation  was  necessarily  small.  The 
records  show  that  he  received  $31.45  for  the  first  year  and  $96.00 
for  the  third  year.  During  the  year  1878  Rev.  A.  J.  Hartsock  sup- 
plied the  church,  and  that  fall  it  was  formally  received  into  Kan- 
sas Synod.  In  October,  1878  Rev.  A.  B.  Kirtland  became  pastor 
of  the  New  Cambria  charge  and  served  St.  Paul's  church  faithfully 
for  twelve  years,  during  which  time  the  little  church  was  greatly 
strengthened  in  membership  and  a  church  building  erected.  In 
1883  a  site  was  secured  and  plans  adopted  for  the  erection  of  a 
building  30  by  50  feet,  to  be  constructed  of  stone.  The  corner 
stone  was  laid  in  May,  and  in  August  the  structure  was  completed, 
at  a  cost  of  $2,675,  in  cash  and  labor,  and  dedicated  on  the  First 
of  January,  1888,  Rev.  George  D.  Gotwald  preaching  the  dedica- 
tory sermon,  when  all  indebtedness  was  provided  for.  This  church 
never  received  any  aid  from  either  the  Home  Mission  or  the  Church 
Extension  Boards.  It  is  a  great  monument  to  the  fidelity  of  the 
pastor  and  the  loyalty  of  the  people  who  freely  contributed  of  both 
their  means  and  labor  in  making  the  end  possible.  Soon  after  came 
drouths  and  hard  times  which  led  many  to  remove  from  the  county 
leaving  the  church  very  weak  and  greatly  discouraged.  Rev.  Kirt- 
land served  this  church  in  connection  with  that  at  New  Cambria, 
although  it  was  not  united  with  it  as  a  pastoral  charge.  In  1891 
this  charge  was  formally  effected  and  Rev.  J.  B.  Umberger  was 
called  as  pastor,  remaining  two  years.  He  was  succeeded  in  May, 
1894,  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Long,  who  continued  to  serve  them  about  three 
years.  During  the  vacancy  that  followed  they  invited  their  old  pas- 
tor Rev.  Kirtland  to  supply  them.  On  November  1st,  1898,  Rev. 
J.  J.  Chambers  took  charge  and  remained  with  them  as  pastor  for 
five  years.  In  December,  1903,  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  F. 
Cressler,  who  remained  until  October  31,  1906.  In  its  parochial 
report  this  church  now  (1906)  reports  21  communicants,  church 
property  valued  at  $2,000  with  no  indebtedness.  It  is  still  connect- 
ed with  the  New  Cambria  church  as  a  pastoral  charge.  In  1888  a 
Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  organized 
which  for  a  time  flourished.     It  became  extinct  in   1895. 


ST.   MARKS,   NORCATUR. 


133 


NORCATUR,  ST.  MARK'S. 

The  pioneer  missionary  work  in  the  "Short  Grass  Country"  along 
the  southern  branches  of  the  Republican  river  in  Decatur  and  Phil- 
lips counties,  was  done  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Kimmel  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  Eighties.  This  indefatigable  worker  saw  many  opportunities, 
and  had  the  church  the  men  and  the  money  with  which  to  follow 
up  the  openings  he  found  doubtless  many  more  churches  would 
have  been  founded  in  this  part  of  the  state.  Having  an  occasion 
to  perform  a  marriage  ceremony  in  Norcatur  in  February,  1888,  he 
saw  an  opportunity  there  for  a  church  and  at  once  began  to  hold 
services,  and  on  the  17th  of  June  following  he  organized  St.  Mark's 
Ev.  Lutheran  church  with  twenty-six  charter  members.  He  laid 
plans  at  once  for  the  erection  of  a  church.  Ground  was  immed- 
iately broken  and  the  foundation  put  in  for  a  building  28  by  40 
feet,  with  a  pulpit  recess  and  a  vestibule  in  the  tower.  The  church 
was  frame  and  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $1,600.  The  dedication 
took  place  on  the  16th  of  December,  and  Secretary  Barnitz  preached 
the  dedicatory  sermon  and  made  the  appeal.     On  this  occasion  Dr. 


st.  mark's  church  and  parsonage. 


Barnitz  says  in  his  report,  "Another  of  the  neat,  handsome  and  in- 
expensive churches  aided  by  the  Board  was  dedicated  yesterday. 
The  entire  debt  save  the  loan  from  the  Extension  Board  $300  was 
provided  for.  "Oh  for  more  money  for  Church  Extension."  The 
church  was  received  into  Kansas  Synod  that  fall. 


134  FIRST   CHURCH,,  OKLAHOMA   CITY,  OKLA. 

In  1897  this  church  bought  a  lot  for  a  parsonage,  and  in  the 
spring  following,  a  one  story  parsonage,  24  by  24  feet,  with  an  an- 
nex, was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $600.  During  the  previous  year  im- 
provements were  made  on  the  church  building  costing  $300.  This 
was  all  accomplished  through  the  tireless  activity  of  Rev.  Jonas 
Freet,  who  turned  the  property  over  to  the  trustees  free  from  debt. 
The  loan  to  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  has  been  returned  in 
full.  The  succession  of  pastors  were  as  follows:  Rev.  J.  W.  Kim- 
mel,  June  to  December,  1888;  Rev.  C.  W.  Maggart,  supply,  Dec, 
1888  to  April  1889;  Rev.  J.  B.  Umberger,  Sept.  1889  to  Jan.  1891; 
Rev.  M.  L.  Kunkleman,  a  few  months  between  1891  and  1894;  Rev. 
C.  J.  Ringer,  supply,  three  months  1894;  Rev.  Jonas  Freet,  Oct. 
1894  to  Oct.  1898,  and  from  May  1899  to  July  1900;  Rev.  J.  T. 
Miller,  Sept.  1900  to  Sept.  1904;  Rev.  M.  F.  Rinker,  Feb.  1905,  to 
Feb.  1,  1906;  Rev.  J.  B.  Grove  is  the  present  pastor  taking  charge 
Oct.  1,  1906.  This  church  was  connected  at  first  with  Trinity  church 
at  Oberlin  as  a  pastoral  charge  and  continued  so  until  the  practical 
abandonment  of  the  church  at  Oberlin  about  1892.  In  1895  it  was 
connected  with  Long  Island  as  a  pastorate.  This  made  a  hard  charge 
to  serve  as  one  whole  county  lay  between  the  two  churches.  The 
charge  assumed  self  support  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Miller. 
The  church  reports  a  membership  of  43  and  property  to  the  value 
of  $2,500,  with  no  indebtedness. 


FIRST  LUTHERAN  CHURCH,  OKLAHOMA  CITY,  OKLA. 

The  fact  that  the  rich  Territory  of  Oklahoma  was  filling  up  with 
thousands  of  people  and  as  yet  scarcely  a  single  Lutheran  church 
planted  within  its  borders,  led  to  a  very  spirited  discussion  at  the 
convention  of  Kansas  Synod  in  1900.  It  was  unanimously  agreed 
that  steps  should  be  taken  at  once  by  the  Advisory  Board  of  Home 
Missions  looking  toward  planting  a  church  in  some  of  its  populous 
centers.  Official  attention  was  called  to  this  promising  South-land 
and  our  Boards  of  Home  Mission  and  Church  Extension  were  urged 
to  aid  in  the  work.  The  Advisory  Board  issued  an  appeal  to  the 
Kansas  churches  for  funds  to  start  the  enterprise.  On  December 
1st,  1901,  the  home  Board  commissioned  Rev.  R.  H.  Williams  as 
missionary.  The  mission  was  styled  by  Kansas  Synod  as  the  First 
Twentieth  Century  Mission  and  the  sum  of  $300  was  given  for  the 
support  of  its  pastor  by  the  Synod. 

The  first  service  was  held  in  the  Court  House  in  the  latter  part 


FIRST   CHURCH,  OKLAHOMA   CITY,  OKLA.  135 

of  December,  and  the  church  itself  was  organized  there  on  the  12th 
of  January,  1902,  with  the  following  charter  members:  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Andrew  Goodholm,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  G.  Sohlberg,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  Wetzel,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  P.  C.  Kramer,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  H. 
Carlson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  H.  Clark,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Trout,  John 
Forsberg,  Mrs.  Nettie  Gates,  J.  F.  Eyster,  Mrs.  R.  H.  Williams,  F. 
C.  Seeger  and  Mrs.  Heyler.  A  constitution  was  adopted  and  the 
following  officers  were  elected:  Elders,  John  Forsberg  and  Andrew 
Goodholm;  Deacons,  Geo.  G.  Sohlberg,  P.  C.  Kramer,  F.  C.  Seeger 
and  J.  F.  Eyster. 

Services  were  held  in  the  Court  House  until  March,  1902.  In 
the  mean  time  negotiations  were  completed  in  January  the  same 
year  for  the  purchase  of  a  brick  Campbellite  church  on  Third  street 
near  Harvey  street,  for  $3,000  including  all  the  furnishings.  The 
Board  of  Church  Extension  aided  in  the  purchase  by  granting  a 
loan  of  $1,000  for  five  years  without  interest,  and  by  agreeing  to 
pay  the  interest  on  a  note  for  $1,500  for  three  years.  The  property 
was  repaired  and  refitted  at  a  cost  of  $800,  and  on  the  6th  of  April 


FIRST    LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 


136  ST.    PAUL'S,   OTTAWA. 

it  was  re-dedicated  as  the  First  Lutheran  Church  of  Oklahoma 
City.  The  morning  sermon  was  preached  by  President,  Carl  Swen- 
son,  D.  D.,  of  Bethany  College,  who  spoke  on  the  "Principles  and 
Mission  of  the  Lutheran  Church."  In  the  evening  President  F.  D. 
Altman,  D.  D.,  of  the  Western  Theological  Seminary  preached  a 
strong  discourse.  The  church  is  well  appointed  and  fully  adapted 
to  our  needs  at  present  and  well  worth  the  price  paid  for  it.  After 
a  pastorate  of  twenty  months  Rev.  Williams  resigned  and  was  suc- 
ceeded on  the  1st  of  January,  1904  by  Rev.  William  Kelley.  The 
health  of  Rev.  Kelley  was  not  very  good  in  his  last  charge  and  he 
was  in  hopes  the  Oklahoma  climate  would  benefit  him.  In  this 
hope  he  was  disappointed.  On  the  25th  of  June,  1906  he  passed 
away.  On  February  1st,  1907,  Rev.  Geo.  Beiswanger  the  present 
pastor  took  charge.  Kansas  Synod  is  still  assisting  in  its  support, 
but  its  plan  is  to  assume  this  burden  itself  at  the  close  of  the  pres- 
ent year.  In  the  brief  period  of  less  than  four  years  this  mission 
had  92  members,  and  while  its  growth  has  not  been  rapid  it  has 
been  substantial.  Its  location  however  is  not  very  desirable  and 
the  congregation  is  in  hopes  of  being  able  to  sell  its  present  prop- 
erty and  locate  in  a  more  desirable  part  of  the  city,  and  if  this  is 
done  it  is  thought  its  growth  will  be  more  rapid.  Recently  a  hand- 
some Altar,  Baptismal  Font  and  Reading  Desk  were  installed. 


OTTAWA,  ST.  PAUL'S. 

The  county-seat  of  Franklin  county  had  been  regarded  by  the 
Synod  as  a  fruitful  place  in  which  to  plant  a  mission  long  before 
the  work  was  actually  accomplished.  For  twelve  years  it  had  been 
the  place  of  residence  of  a  retired  minister,  Rev.  D.  S.  Altman  who 
never  ceased  to  plead  for  a  church  there.  The  town  already  had 
two  Swedish  churches,  and  as  there  were  quite  a  number  of  Ger- 
mans living  there,  the  opportunities  seemed  more  than  ripe.  It 
was  visited  by  the  Synodical  Missionaries  and  by  the  new  Western 
Secretary  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz,  all  of  whom  united  in  asking  the 
Board  of  Home  Missions  to  send  a  man  into  the  field.  In  1884 
Secretary  Clutz  invited  Rev.  Samuel  Henry  of  Mifflinburg,  Penna., 
who  was  able  to  preach  in  both  German  and  English,  to  become 
missionary  at  Ottawa.  In  the  fall  of  1884  he  entered  the  work  un- 
der the  direction  of  the  Home  Board.  At  first,  services  were  held 
in  the  Second  Swedish  Lutheran  church,  and  later  these  were  trans- 
ferred to  the  First  church.     On  the  5th  of  December  he  organized 


ST.    PAUL  S,   OTTAWA. 


137 


the  congregation  as  "The  English-German  Ev.  Lutheran  St.  Paul's 
Church,"  the  following  comprising  the  charter  membership:  Wm. 
Altman,  L.  Altman,  Mrs.  Jane  M.  Altman  (wife  of  Rev.  D.  S.  Alt- 
man),  Henry  K.  Muth,  Minnie  E.  Muth,  Amanda  E.  Eggers  (wife 
of  Rev.  L.  G.  Eggers),  F.  G.  Sehnert,  Christian  Sehnert,  Geo.  Wip- 
pert,  Catharine  B.  Wippert,  John  Bohnet,  Caroline  Bohnet,  S.  P. 
Cameron,  Mariah  Cameron,  G.  W.  Snyder,  Mattie  Snyder,  Dr.  Sallie 
Kleckner,  J.  W.  Henry,  Lizzie  Henry,  Albert  Heidegger,  Frank  Mil- 
ler, Emma  Miller,  Mary  A.  Esterly,  Mary  A.  Ellinger,  (wife  of  Rev. 


st.  Paul's  church,  (old.) 

J.  G.  Ellinger),  Mrs.  T.  Castle,  George  F.  Lehr,  Catharine  Sleeder, 
and  two  catechumens,  William  and  Caroline  Bohnet. 

This  church  soon  after  was  received  into  Kansas  Synod.  Fol- 
lowing up  the  advantages  he  had  gained,  Pastor  Henry  began  to 
take  steps  for  the  erection  of  a  building.  The  question  of  location 
became  a  serious  one,  as  the  congregation  became  divided  on  the 
site.  The  German  portion,  living  mostly  in  the  country  favored  a 
location  in  the  western  suburbs  of  the  city.     The  residents  of  the 


138  st.  Paul's,  ottawa. 

city  felt  that  it  was  all  important  that  the  church  should  be  in  the 
central  part.  The  differences  were  so  marked  that  it  seemed  for 
a  while  the  whole  enterprise  would  fail,  as  there  were  differences 
also  on  the  language  question.  Finally  through  the  visit  of  some 
of  the  synodical  brethren  th^  site  was  agreed  upon,  lots  purchased, 
and  the  foundation  of  the  church  was  laid.  The  corner  stone  was 
laid  on  the  9th  of  August,  1885,  Rev.  M.  F.  Troxell,  preaching  the 
sermon.  The  plans  adopt:d  called  for  a  frame  building  24  by  40 
feet,  with  a  tower  eight  by  eight  and  of  proportionate  height,  the 
entire  cost  including  the  lots  amounting  to  $3,000.  The  Board  of 
Church  Extension  gave  a  donation  of  $1 10  and  a  loan  of  S800.  The 
church  was  finished  and  dedicated  on  the  4th  of  October,  Rev.  T.  F. 
Dornblaser  preaching  the  sermon.  All  bills  with  the  exception  of 
this  loan  were  provided  for  at  the  dedication.  A  Woman's  Home 
and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  organized  by  Rev.  Henry  the 
same  year.  He  resigned  April  1st,  1886.  Soon  after  this,  dissatis- 
faction arose  anew  over  the  unfavorable  location  of  the  church. 
The  Committee  on  Vacant  Congregations  at  the  Synod  of  1886  re- 
ported, "It  will  be  generally  conceded  that  a  mistake  has  been  made 
with  reference  to  the  location  of  the  Ottawa  church."  The  presi- 
dent of  Synod  was  directed  to  visit  Ottawa  and  admonish  the  con- 
gregation to  harmonize  its  differences  and  call  a  pastor.  After  a 
vacancy  of  over  a  year  and  the  disintegration  resulting  therefrom, 
Rev.  P.  Ewald  was  commissioned  missionary.  He  remained  there 
only  three  months.  On  May  1st,  1887,  Rev.  W.  C.  Seidel  took 
charge,  preaching  in  both  German  and  English,  however  remaining 
but  one  year.  The  work  then  was  suspended  and  letters  of  dismis- 
sal were  granted  to  the  members  which  practically  disbanded  the 
organization. 

In  1891  Rev.  J.  F.  Scherer,  while  serving  the  church  at  Garnett, 
twenty-five  miles  south  of  Ottawa,  determined  to  attempt  the  re- 
viving and  reorganizing  of  the  church  at  Ottawa.  This  he  was  able 
to  accomplish  on  the  28th  of  March,  organizing  it  with  25  mem- 
bers as  a  strictly  English  church  and  retaining  the  name  St.  Paul. 
It  was  re-admitted  into  Synod  that  fall.  It  was  served  in  connec- 
tion with  Garnett.  Rev.  Scherer  resigned  January  1st,  1892,  and 
was  succeeded  in  June  following  by  Rev.  J.  N.  Lentz,  who  also  serv- 
ing both  points  mentioned.  During  his  pastorate  the  congregation 
succeeded  in  paying  off  the  S800  due  the  Board  of  Church  Exten- 
sion, the  Board  donating  $300.  A  property  located  on  the  north- 
west corner  of  Third  and  Elm  streets  was  purchased  for  a  parson- 
age, December  1st,  1894,  at  a  cost  of  $1,600.     He  resigned  in  June 


ST.    PAUL  S,  OTTAWA. 


139 


ST.   PAUL'S  CHURCH,    (NEW.  I 

1905  and  in  August  following  Rev.  J.  B.  Umberger  was  called  to 
the  pastorate,  serving  it  until  September  1st,  1898.  One  month 
later  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  B.  F.  Pugh.  The  same  year  Ottawa 
-was  separated  from  Garnett  as  a  pastorate. 

The  unfortunate  location  of  the  church  in  the  suburbs  of  Ottawa 


140  st.  paul's,  peabody. 

militated  against  any  permanent  success.  The  agitation  for  a  re- 
moval was  kept  up  continually  until  1902,  when  it  was  decided  to 
sell  the  parsonage  and  purchase  lots  for  the  central  location  of 
the  church.  Four  lots  were  bought  on  Locust  St.  between  4th  and 
5th  streets,  and  plans  were  about  completed  for  the  erecting  of  a 
new  church,  when  the  M.  E.  congregation  deciding  to  build  offered 
their  church  property  to  the  Lutherans  at  the  latter's  own  price. 
An  offer  of  $1,800  cash  and  the  four  lots  on  Locust  street  was  made 
and  accepted.  The  structure  is  centrally  located  and  of  imposing 
appearance.  It  is  built  of  stone.  The  basement  has  a  main  Sunday 
School  and  two  class  rooms,  besides  library  and  furnace  rooms. 
The  auditorium  has  480  sittings  besides  the  gallery  which  will  ac- 
comodate 150  more.  The  congregation  then  sold  its  old  church  for 
51,500.  The  last  service  in  it  was  on  September  28th,  1902,  and 
on  the  first  Sunday  in  October  following,  the  congregation  worship- 
ped in  its  new  home,  but  could  only  use  the  afternoon  for  service 
until  the  next  year  when  the  M.  E.  church  was  completed.  About 
$700  were  spent  in  frescoing  and  repairs,  the  Church  Extension 
Board  coming  to  their  help  with  a  donation  of  $100.  The  re-dedica- 
tion took  place  on  the  28th  of  June,  1903,  when  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger, 
D.  D.,  preached  the  sermon  and  made  the  appeal.  He  succeeded 
so  well  in  the  appeal  that  $800  were  raised  over  the  amount  they 
were  aiming  at,  which  was  set  aside  for  a  parsonage.  This  move- 
ment placed  the  Ottawa  church  on  its  feet,  and  with  it  there  was 
ushered  in  an  era  of  prosperity.  The  movement  for  a  parsonage 
was  followed  up  at  once  and  the  "chain  letter  scheme"  was  launch- 
ed which  added  about  $1,000  to  the  parsonage  fund.  A  good  sub- 
stantial parsonage  of  eight  rooms  with  all  modern  conveniences 
was  erected  adjoining  the  church,  costing  $2,400.  This  was  ready 
for  use  in  1904.  During  1906  all  indebtedness  was  liquidated. 
While  the  church  is  still  a  mission  it  will  soon  assume  self-support. 
Its  present  pastor  is  Rev.  C.  W.  Sifford,  D.  D.,  who  took  charge 
October  1st,  1904.  The  church  reports  60  communicants  and  prop- 
erty valued  at  $12,000,  a  good  Sunday  school,  young  people's  so- 
ciety, a  strong  missionary  society,  and  a  Ladies  Aid  society. 


PEABODY,  ST.  PAUL'S. 

The  activity  of  Kansas  Synod  and  its  missionary  president,  Rev. 
S.  P.  Harrington,  during  the  year  1876,  resulted  in  the  organization 
of  what  has  become  one  of  our  best  churches.     During  one  of  the 


ST.    PAULS,   PEABODY. 


141 


missionary  journeys  of  Rev.  Harrington,  Peabody  was  visited,  a 
preliminary  canvass  made,  a  Lutheran  service  held,  and  the  place 
reported  about  ripe  for  organization.  The  commission  of  Rev.  Har- 
rington expiring  about  this  time  organization  was  deferred.  Mr. 
David  H.  Bauslin,  a  theological  student  of  Wittenberg  Seminary, 
spent  the  summer  of  1877  with  his  parents  at  Peabody.  He  began 
holding  services  every  Sunday  afternoon  in  the  M.  E.  church,  and 
soon  had  affairs  in  shape  for  organization.  However,  not  as  yet 
being  licensed,  he  requested  the  President  of  Synod,  Rev.  T.  F. 
Dornblaser,  to  complete  the  organization.  The  latter  preached  on 
Sunday  August  4th,  and  on  the  7th  an  organization  with  24  char- 
ter members  was  effected  in  the  Baptist  church.  Among  the  char- 
ter members  were  the  following:  Jacob  Keller,  J.  Stewart,  Miss 
M.  F.  Stewart,  Geo.  M.  Miller,  Margaret  Miller,  Philip  Weidlein, 
H.  S.  Weidlein,  Andrew  Shank,  Sarah  Shank,  Miss  Hannah  Hunt- 


st.  paul's  church. 


er,  Jos.  Bongart,  Stephen  Dardinger,  C.  H.  Rahe  and  Eliza  Rahe. 
A  constitution  was  adopted,  naming  the  church  St.  Paul's,  officers 
elected,  and  a  call  extended  to  Mr.  Bauslin  to  become  pastor,  not- 
withstanding he  had  one  year  yet  in  the  seminary.  Three  weeks 
later  the  congregation  was  received  into  the  Kansas  Synod  at  its 


142 


st.  Paul's,  peabody. 


convention  at  Salina.  Mr.  Bauslin  served  the  congregation  until 
his  return  to  the  seminary  in  the  fall.  Rev.  R.  B.  Whitehill,  having 
moved  to  Peabody,  was  engaged  to  supply  the  church,  and  soon 
after  he  was  formally  elected  pastor.  In  the  spring  and  summer 
of  1878  they  erected  a  frame  church  30  by  60  feet,  costing  $2,650, 
and  which  was  dedicated  on  the  15th  of  December,  when  all  debt 
was  provided  for  with  a  sufficient  excess  for  the  purchase  of  an 
organ. 

Kansas  Synod  at  its  fall  convention  that  year  adopted  the  follow- 
ing resolution: 

"Whereas,  the  Ev.  Lutheran  congregation  of  Peabody,  during  the 
first  year  of  its  existence,  has  in  course  of  erection  a  new  house 
of  worship,  without  aid  from  the  church  at  large,  to  the  happy  sur- 
prise of  the  members  of  this  Synod,  therefore, 


. 

t 

f\  w^ 

^^&mM 

:  * 

-**«""•*».   **2? 

JUjp 

Sk 

ST.    PAUL  S   INTERIOR. 


Resolved,  that  we  are  highly  gratified  with  the  progressive  spirit 
exhibited  by  this  congregation,  and  that  we  commend  its  zeal  and 
self-reliance  to  all  of  our  western  missions." 

After  a  lapse  of  about  four  years  an  obligation  reverted  to  the 
church  in  the  sum  of  $925,  which  had  been  assumed  by  one  of  the 
members,  but  which  he  could  not  pay  owing  to  financial  reverses. 
In  1883  this  had  grown  to  $1,200.  The  Board  of  Church  Extension 
granted  them  a  loan  of  $300  and  the  balance  was  paid  by  the 
church.  Rev.  Whitehill  resigned  in  1880.  After  a  vacancy  of  21 
months  the  Home  Mission  Board  granted  the  church  aid  to  the  ex- 


ST.   PAUL  S,   PEABODY. 


143 


tent  of  $300,  and  on  the  16ih  of  December,  1882,  Rev.  A.  J.  Hes- 
son  became  pastor.  Rev.  Hesson  served  one  year  as  pastor  and 
nine  months  as  a  supply.  In  October,  1884,  Rev.  H.  B.  Belmer 
took  charge.  During  his  pastorate  extensive  repairs  were  made  to 
the  church,  the  building  being  lengthened  14  feet,  the  improve- 
ments all  told  costing  $1,800.  The  church  was  re-dedicated  on  the 
24th  of  March  when  all  indebtedness  was  provided  for  including 
the  loan  from  the  Church  Extension  Society.  Interest  in  improve- 
ments continued  to  manifest  itself,  and  in  the  following  spring  a 
commodious  parsonage  of  eight  rooms  was  erected  costing  $2,000. 
Assistance  from  the  Home  Mission  Board  continued  until  1886 
when  the  church  assumed  self  support.  Rev.  Belmer  resigned  in 
1888  when  the  church  reported  95  members.  On  the  16th  of  Sep- 
tember, the  same  year,  Rev.  G.  A.  Bowers,  D.  D.,  took  charge  and 
for  four  and  a  half  years  served  the  congregation  very  acceptably. 
Mr.  E.  F.  Trefz,  a  theological  student,  supplied  the  church  during 
the  summer  of  1893.  On  the  1st  of  October  Rev.  S.  S.  Kauffman 
became  pastor  for  a  year  and  nine  months.  He  was  followed  by 
Rev.  R.  H.  Williams,  as  a  supply,  and  finally  as  pastor,  serving 
from  1895  to  September  1,  1898.  During  the  latters  pastorate  a 
Moller  pipe  organ  was  installed  costing  $1,000  and  other  improve- 
ments made  costing  $500  more.  In  January,  1899,  Rev.  G.  W. 
Amick  became  pastor,  remaining  two  years.  On  June  1,  1902,  Rev. 
C.  N.  Swihart  took  charge,  resigning  on  Nov.  1,  1904.  He  was 
succeeded  on  January  1st  by  Rev.  T.  P.  Skovgard,  who  remained 


st.  paul's  parsonage. 


144  ST.    JAMES',    PERTH. 

pastor  for  one  year.  In  April,  1906,  Rev.  Geo.  S.  Murphy  was 
called  as  pastor  being  the  present  incumbent. 

The  Peabody  pastorate  of  late  years  has  attained  a  reputation 
for  benevolence  which  ranks  as  one  of  the  very  best  in  this  Synod. 
At  present  the  church  has  155  members  and  property  to  the  value 
of  $6,500. 

In  1885  a  Woman's  Missionary  Society  was  organized  which  is 
one  of  the  most  liberal  contributors  in  the  Synod,  reporting  in  1906 
31  members  and  $137  contributions. 

As  this  volume  goes  to  press  the  St.  Paul's  congregation,  having 
decided  to  build  a  new  church  are  studying  plans  calling  for  a  fine 
modern  structure  costing  $15,000. 


PERTH,  ST.  JAMES. 

This  church  had  its  origin  in  a  letter  written  by  Mr.  Henry  Jacobs 
of  Perth  to  Rev.  Dr.  Joel  Swartz,  of  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  his  former 
pastor,  pleading  for  the  planting  of  a  Lutheran  church  at  Perth. 
This  letter  was  sent  to  the  Home  Mission  and  Church  Extension 
Boards  which  culminated  in  arrangements  for  a  visit  to  Perth  by 
Secretary  Lenker.  The  ripeness  of  the  field  was  at  once  apparent. 
A  canvass  of  the  town  and  surrounding  country  was  made  result- 
ing in  the  organization  of  St.  James  church,  so  called  after  the  St. 
James  church  of  Gettysburg,  in  the  Perth  school  house,  on  the  6th 
of  March,  1887,  with  the  following  charter  members:  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  H.  H.  Jacobs,  Annie  Jacobs,  Mrs.  Sallie  Erhard,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
George  Erhard,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  F.  Mickley,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fritch- 
man,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Mickley,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ezra  Fuss,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  A.  D.  Spangler,  Allen  and  Emory  Jacobs,  Wesley  Mickley, 
Geo.  W.  Gelback,  Samuel  A.  Shriner  and  H.  S.  Miller.  Most  of 
these  good  people  had  come  from  in  and  around  Gettysburg.  The 
new  congregation  was  regularly  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  in  the 
fall  of  1887.  Rev.  J.  G.  M.  Hursh  at  that  time  preaching  at  Port- 
land, a  point  eighteen  miles  southeast  of  Perth,  was  invited  to  give 
them  a  visit,  resulting  in  his  being  called  as  pastor  in  April  fol- 
lowing. The  services  were  held  at  first  in  the  school  house  where 
the  new  pastor  organized  a  Sunday  school.  In  September  the  same 
year  he  was  commissioned  by  the  Home  Board  as  missionary,  serv- 
ing Wellington,  Perth  and  Trinity  church  at  Portland.  On  All 
Saint's  Day  Secretary  Lenker  again  visited  Perth,  this  time  to  in- 
spire the  congregation  to  go  ahead  and  build  a  church.     All  fell 


ST.    JAMES,    PERTH. 


145 


in  with  his  proposition  to  proceed  at  once  to  build.  The  same  day 
they  assembled  on  the  lot,  which  had  already  been  obtained,  and 
broke  ground.  Plans  were  adopted  calling  for  a  frame  building 
with  an  auditorium  30  by  40  feet,  a  class  room  12  by  24  feet,  and 
a  tower  8  feet  square.  Willing  hands  made  light  work.  The  stone 
was  secured  free,  and  it  was  hauled  and  put  into  the  foundation 
with  labor  all  donated.  Indeed  the  labor  of  erecting  the  entire 
structure  was  donated  with  the  single  exception  of  the  building  of 
the  chimney.  The  cost  of  the  church  all  told  amounted  to  $1,800, 
of  which  the  Church  Extension  Board  donated  $200  and  loaned 
$300.    The  building  was  dedicated  on  the  28th  of  April,  1890,  some 


ST.   JAMES     CHURCH. 


time  after  it  was  built.  Rev.  J.  A.  Clutz,  D.  D.,  President  of  Mid- 
land College,  preached  the  sermon.  Rev.  Hursh  was  present  at  the 
dedication  although  he  had  resigned  the  church  some  time  prior 
to  give  his  whole  time  to  Wellington.  On  February  1,  1889,  Rev. 
Jacob  $chauer  became  pastor  and  served  the  church  till  June,  1890. 
He  was  followed  by  Rev.  A.  H.  Burk,  who  was  pastor  from  Octo- 


146  st.  john's,  salina. 

ber  till  the  following  March.  Later  he  supplied  the  church  in  the 
latter  part  of  1891  and  the  fore  part  of  1892.  Owing  to  the  in- 
ability of  either  the  Wellington  or  the  Perth  congregations  to  sup- 
port a  pastor  the  two  congregations  decided  for  a  time  at  least  to 
unite  in  calling  a  pastor  and  co-operate  with  the  Home  Mission 
Board  in  sustaining  the  same.  Under  this  arrangement  Rev.  R.  B. 
Whitehill  served  them  as  pastor  from  May,  1892  to  May,  1894.  On 
the  1st  of  October  the  same  year  Rev.  B.  F.  Pugh  took  charge  serv- 
ing the  two  congregations  till  April  1st,  1898.  On  July  1st,  Rev. 
E.  E.  Stauffer  became  pastor  of  the  two  churches  continuing  until 
June  1,  1901,  when  it  was  deemed  best  that  each  congregation,  with 
assistance  from  the  Mission  Board,  secure  a  pastor  for  itself.  On 
August  1,  the  St.  James  church  called  Rev.  W.  A.  Livers.  During 
most  of  its  history  this  church  received  more  or  less  aid  from  the 
Mission  Board  but  on  the  1st  of  August,  1902,  it  became  self- 
sustaining.  In  the  fall  and  winter  of  1901-2  the  members  and 
pastor  united  in  building  a  comfortable  six  room  parsonage  on  two 
large  lots  donated  by  Mr.  Emanuel  Wynn.  After  a  ministry  of  two 
years  Rev.  Livers  resigned  and  was  succeeded  on  the  1st  of  Nov- 
ember, 1903  by  Rev.  J.  J.  Chambers  who  served  the  church  until 
April  1,  1907.  The  church  at  present  has  a  membership  of  77  and 
property  to  the  value  of  about  $3,000.  At  the  present  writing, 
(1907)  the  congregation  is  remodeling  its  building.  In  1889  a 
Woman's  Missionary  Society  was  organized,  and  is  still  in  fine 
working  condition. 


SALINA,  ST.  JOHN'S. 

Rev.  Charles  Young,  after  doing  efficient  pioneer  work  in  the 
Synod  of  Northern  Illinois  at  Dixon  and  various  points  in  Stephen- 
son county  there,  came  to  Kansas  in  1872,  broken  in  health,  and 
settled  on  a  farm  near  Salina.  Not  content  with  farm  life  while 
mission  fields  lay  about  him  which  ought  to  be  occupied,  he  ap- 
plied to  the  Home  Board  for  aid  in  establishing  a  mission  in  the 
young  and  growing  town  of  Salina.  In  the  Spring  of  1873  he  was 
commissioned,  the  Board  allowing  him  $300  the  first  year.  He  set 
himself  to  the  work  at  once  and  on  the  30th  of  March  organized 
St.  John's  Ev.  Lutheran  church  with  the  following  charter  mem- 
bers: T.  F.  Garver,  Mrs.  T.  F.  Garver,  R.  H.  Dihle,  Mrs.  Joanna 
Dihle,  B.  B.  Stimmel,  Mrs.  M.  Stimmel,  Jacob  L.  Gebhart,  Mrs. 
Julia  Gebhart,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Young,  Josie  Young,  C.  W.  Tressin, 


ST.    JOHN'S,   SALINA.  147 

Mrs.  Minnie  Tressin,  and  Miss  Ida  Tressin.  Rev.  Young  at  this 
time  was  also  preaching  at  New  Cambria  six  miles  east,  on  the 
newly  constructed  Kansas  Pacific  railroad.  Here  in  April  he  or- 
ganized a  church  which  with  the  Salina  church  constituted  a  pas- 
toral charge.     In  1874  they  purchased  a  small  M.  E.  church  24  by 


st.  john's  church,  (old.) 

35  feet  in  dimensions,  with  appointments  intact,  paying  $800  for  it. 
The  same  building  is  still  standing  and  is  used  by  the  colored 
M.  E.  church.  They  spent  $200  more  in  repairs.  This  afforded 
the  church  a  home  of  its  own,  however  humble,  and  soon  better 
days  began  to  dawn  upon  the  mission.  On  account  of  the  infirm- 
ities of  old  age,  being  seventy-two  years,  Rev.  Young  resigned  May 
1st,  1876.  For  about  fifteen  months  succeeding,  the  church  was 
supplied  by  Rev.  W.  C.  Seidel.  On  the  1st  of  August,  1877,  Rev-. 
A.  J.  Hartsock  was  commissioned  missionary,  the  Board  appropri- 
ating $300  per  year.  The  new  pastor  threw  his  whole  soul  into  the 
task  of  building  up  his  church.  He  soon  had  the  little  church  filled 
with  people.  In  less  than  two  years  he  had  added  100  new  mem- 
bers to  his  "Little  mission  'round  the  corner"  as  he  loved  to  call 
it.  Sometime  in  1879  a  parsonage  was  built  which  was  used  for 
a  season  and  later  was  sold.  Soon  it  became  necessary  that  a  new 
church  be  erected,  but  where  to  get  the  money  was  a  problem,  for 
the  country  was  new  and  the  people  were  passing  through  seasons 
of  drouth  which  made  it  almost  impossible  to  raise  money  locally. 
Under  his  inspiring  cry,  "God  helps  those  who  help  themselves," 
he  set  himself  to  the  task.  "We  must  have  a  church  or  die,"  he 
wrote  to  the  Lutheran  Observer,  in  1879.    The  General  Synod  met 


148 


st.  John's,  salina. 


at  "Wooster,  Ohio,  that  year,  and  it  authorized  the  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
and  Salina,  Kans.,  missions  to  appeal  to  the  church  at  large  for 
funds  for  the  erection  of  buildings.  Rev.  Hartsock  acted  promptly 
and  immediately  laid  his  plan  before  the  Sunday  schools  of  the 
church  through  the  columns  of  the  church  papers,  proposing  that 
they,  the  scholars,  buy  the  brick  for  the  new  church.  He  had 
about  50,000  red  paper  bricks  printed  which  he  sold  for  ten  cents 
each.  The  church  papers  during  1879  and  1880  were  full  of  ac- 
counts of  the  sale  of  bricks  for  the  Salina  church.  The  plan  was 
new  and  took  well  and  money  flowed  in  from  every  quarter.  This 
congregation  and  pastor  suddenly  became  widely  known  all  over  the 
church.  When  the  enterprise  lagged  the  indefatiguable  pastor, 
leaving  his  field  in  the  hands  of  a  resident  minister,  would  make 
his  round  of  the  synods  in  the  East,  visiting  Sunday  schools  en- 
route,  always  with  his  one  cry,  "Buy  my  bricks."  It  was  a  spec- 
tacular erecting  of  a  church  indeed.     On  these  trips  he  scattered 


st.  john's  church,  (new.) 


ST.    JOHN  S,   SAL1NA. 


149 


30,000  bricks.  He  labored  incessantly  day  after  day  until  it  is  safe 
to  say  that  one-half  of  the  children  of  the  Sunday  schools  of  the 
General  Synod  had  invested  a  dime  in-  Salina  bricks. 

In  the  spring  of  1880  two  well  located  lots  were  purchased  and 
deeded  to  the  Board  of  Church  Extension,  the  purchase  price  be- 
ing $600.  Brick  was  contracted  for  and  plans  adopted  for  the 
erection  of  a  building  but  the  work  was  not  begun  until  the  fol- 
lowing year.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  on  June  18,  1881.  Up  to 
that  time  the  splendid  sum  of  $6,591  had  been  collected,  largely 
by  the  sale  of  the  red  bricks,  and  given  to  the  congregation  by  the 


ST.   JOHNS   PARSONAGE. 


Church  Extension  Board  as  a  donation.  The  dedication  took  place 
on  the  10th  of  December,  1881.  Dr.  Conrad  was  to  have  preached 
the  sermon,  but  he  failed  to  arrive,  and  the  pastor  was  obliged  to 
preach  it  himself.  Revs.  Charles  Young,  M.  Stolpe  and  A.  B.  Kirt- 
land,  were  present  during  the  day  and  assisted  the  pastor.  As 
there  was  no  debt  to  lift  there  was  no  plea  for  money. 

The  building  is  a  Gothic  structure  of  native  brick,  43  by  75 
feet,  with  a  handsome  tower  90  feet  high  and  bell  porch,  vestibule, 
organ  loft,  and  a  Sunday  school  room  20  by  40  feet  off  from  the 
auditorium  and  connected  with  sliding  doors.  The  ceiling  is  in 
the  form  of  a  canopy  neatly  and  tastily  finished.     The  floor  is  in- 


150  st.  John's,  sauna. 

clined  and  seated  with  elegant  pews  in  amphitheater  style,  accom- 
modating about  400  people.  A  one  manual  pipe  organ  was  install- 
ed, the  first  placed  in  a  Lutheran  church  in  Kansas.  This  was  plan- 
ned and  built  in  Salina,  and  was  probably  the  first  pipe  organ  made 
in  Kansas.  The  entire  cost  of  the  structure  was  $10,000,  a  mon- 
ument to  the  tireless  energy  of  the  pastor. 

Rev.  Hartsock  resigned  October,  1882,  and  was  succeeded  soon 
after  by  Rev.  A.  J.  Kissell,  who  remained  as  pastor  of  the  mission 
until  March,  1885.  In  July  that  year  Rev.  George  D.  Gotwald  was 
called.  During  his  pastorate  the  church  assumed  self  support.  In 
April,  1889,  Rev.  C.  W.  Maggart  became  pastor.  During  the  lat- 
ter's  pastorate  an  eight  room  parsonage  was  erected.  In  May, 
1892,  Rev.  L.  C.  Routzahn  became  pastor,  remaining  one  year. 
From  December,  1893,  to  April,  1898,  Rev.  H.  M.  Oberholtzer  was 
in  charge.  On  July  1st,  1898,  Rev.  J.  A.  McCulloch  was  called  re- 
maining over  two  years.  On  the  1st  of  December,  1900,  Rev.  C.  E. 
Wirick  took  charge,  remaining  until  June,  1906.  Early  in  the  lat- 
ter's  pastorate  the  church  was  repaired  and  renewed  at  a  cost  of 
$600.  The  old  parsonage  again  having  been  sold,  in  1902  a  lot 
was  purchased  adjoining  the  church  on  the  south  on  which  during 
the  year  following  a  commodious  parsonage  was  erected,  having 
ten  rooms,  with  modern  conveniences,  gas,  bath  and  furnace,  and 
at  a  cost  of  $3,200.  In  1882  a  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society  was  organized  which  is  a  prominent  agency  for 
good  in  the  congregation  to  this  day.  The  church  is  well  equipped 
with  a  fine  Aid  Society  and  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  Synod.  During 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Gotwald  a  Young  People's  Society  existed, 
which,  though  short  lived,  left  as  a  monument  of  their  interest  and 
zeal  a  beautiful  white  marble  baptismal  font.  During  the  same 
pastorate  a  fine  bell  was  installed  and  entirely  paid  for.  These 
monuments  of  the  labors  of  this  now  sainted  pastor  still  remain, 
after  the  lapse  of  over  twenty  years,  one  serving  as  a  means  of 
grace  and  the  other  still  calling  the  people  to  the  place  where  the 
means  of  grace  are  dispensed.  Rev.  H.  A.  Ott,  D.  D.,  became  pas- 
tor on  the  1st  of  February,  1907.  At  present  the  church  reports 
250  communicants,  with  no  indebtedness  and  properties  valued  at 
$15,000.     Recently  an  electric  motor  for  the  organ  was  installed. 


FIRST   CHURCH,  ST.   JOSEPH,   MO.  151 

ST.  JOSEPH,  MO.,  FIRST  ENGLISH  LUTHERAN. 

The  effort  to  organize  a  church  of  the  General  Synod  in  St. 
Joseph,  Mo.,  dates  back  to  the  days  when  Rev.  David  Earhart  was 
preaching  in  his  great  circuit  of  fully  one  hundred  miles  in  Doni- 
phan and  Brown  counties  along  the  Nebraska  line  and  in  Vinland 
in  Douglass  county  south  of  Lawrence.  On  June  second,  1866,  he 
crossed  the  Missouri  river  paying  the  rising  town  of  St.  Joseph  a 
visit.  He  found  a  few  Lutheran  families  in  and  around  the  city 
and  preached  the  gospel  to  them  for  the  first  time  on  June  3d, 
1866.  He  visited  the  "long-scattered  membership"  again  on  July 
15th  and  entered  into  an  agreement  to  preach  for  them  every  two 
weeks  on  the  Lord's  Day.  On  September  23d,  "Christ's  Ev.  Luth- 
eran church"  was  organized  with  fifteen  charter  members.  Anders 
Nelson  was  elected  Elder  and  O.  O.  Stinson,  an  Elder  emeritus  of 
the  present  church,  was  elected  Deacon.  The  Holy  Communion 
was  administered  for  the  first  time  to  nine  sheep  of  the  little  flock 
on  November  4th,  1866.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Earhart  writes,  "It  was  ad- 
ministered with  feelings  of  much  gratitude  to  God  for  His  good- 
ness." After  preaching  in  the  old  court  house  in  St.  Joseph  for 
about  two  years,  for  want  of  a  building  the  services  were  trans- 
ferred to  Oak  Hill  school  house  a  short  distance  from  the  city. 
Most  of  the  members  lived  close  to  this  school  house.  This  was 
a  fatal  mistake.  Continuance  of  the  organization  in  St.  Joseph 
would  have  insured  a  strong  church  in  due  season.  On  March 
27th,  1870,  Rev.  Earhart  administered  the  Lord's  Supper,  commend- 
ed the  church  to  the  Grace  of  God,  and  resigned.  The  little  com- 
pany disbanded.  Its  members,  a  majority  of  whom  were  Scandi- 
navians, were  served  from  time  to  time  by  a  pastor  of  their  own 
nationality.  No  one  deplored  the  failure  more  than  Rev.  Charles 
Martin  who,  in  the  year  1866,  had  founded  "The  Young  Ladies' 
Institute"  of  St.  Joseph,  and  who  had  hoped  for  a  church  home  for 
his  family  and  his  school. 

Nothing  further  was  attempted  for  almost  twenty-five  years. 
After  the  founding  of  Midland  College  at  Atchison  the  need  of  a 
church  became  more  imperative.  The  college  people  aided  in  lay- 
ing the  matter  before  the  Mission  Board.  Rev.  Edward  F.  Trefz 
was  commissioned  missionary  June  1st,  1894.  He  entered  upon 
his  work  with  an  energy  and  devotion  which  insured  success.  The 
Unitarian  church  was  rented  and  services  held  in  it  for  three 
months.  On  August  26th  the  First  English  Ev.  Lutheran  church 
was   organized   with    fifty-seven   charter   members.      Rev.    Charles 


152 


FIRST   CHURCH,  ST.   JOSEPH,   MO. 


Martin,  M.  D.,  presided  at  the  meeting.  Peter  Stinson  acted  as 
Secretary.  Rev.  J.  A.  Clutz,  D.  D.,  President  of  Midland  College, 
made  a  short  address  and  assisted  in  the  organization.  A  consti- 
tution was  adopted  to  which  the  following  names  were  inscribed 
as  charter  members:     Rev.  Charles  Martin,  M.  D.,  Pastor  Emeritus, 


FIRST    ENGLISH    LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 


Mrs.  E.  T.  Nelson,  Mr.  George  Nelson,  Miss  Lenore  Nelson,  Miss 
Cora  Nelson,  Miss  Pearl  Nelson,  Mrs.  M.  O.  Plowman,  Mrs.  Cath- 
arine Cox,  Miss  Rena  Nelson,  Mr.  Newton  Nelson,  Mr.  Thomas 
Nelson,  Mr.  Orion  Nelson,  Mr.  Fred  Weddle,  Mrs.  Fred  Weddle, 
Miss  Ella  Weddle,  Miss  Lottie  Weddle,  Mrs.  Chas.  Spalsburg,  Mr. 
Fred  Weddle,  Jr.,  Mr.  Peter  Weddle,  Mr.  Harry  Weddle,  Mr.  Wallie 
Weddle,  Mr.  O.  O.  Stinson,  Mrs.  O.  O.  Stinson,  Mr.  Peter  D.  Stin- 
son, Mrs.  R.  E.  Henderson,  Mrs.  H.  C.  Varner,  Mrs.  Frank  Hanna, 
Miss  Eudora  Martin,  Miss  Christine  Johnson,  Mrs.  Clara  B.  Kelley, 


FIRST   CHURCH,  ST.   JOSEPH,   MO.  153 

Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Peters,  Mr.  J.  M.  Priest,  Mrs.  J.  M.  Priest,  Mrs.  Clara 
Hillix,  Miss  Lulu  Senter,  Mr.  Karl  Fiedler,  Mrs.  Karl  Fiedler,  Mr. 
Henry  Marquard,  Jr.,  Mr.  H.  J.  Tritchler,  Mrs.  Gotfried  Zunkle, 
Mrs.  John  Nelson,  Mr.  Hans  Holms,  Mrs.  Hans  Holms,  Mrs.  J.  M. 
Hague,  Miss  M.  Hendolite,  Miss  Hannah  Thompson,  Miss  Addie 
Thompson,  Mrs.  A.  M.  Spencer,  Mr.  Julius  Trefz,  Miss  Emma 
Trefz,  Mrs.  Elsie  Marnell,  Mrs.  W.  L.  Eshelman,  Miss  Allie  Spen- 
cer, Miss  Mamie  Spencer,  Mr.  Josiah  Cobaugh,  Mrs.  Josiah  Co- 
baugh,  Mrs.  Robert  Schatz,  Mrs.  Leontine  Johnson. 

On  the  1st  of  September  the  congregation  moved  into  the  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  building  and  continued  to  worship  there  for  a  little  more  than 
a  year,  paying  a  rental  of  forty  dollars  per  month.  The  congre- 
gation was  received  into  the  Kansas  Synod  in  October.  Shortly 
after  its  organization  the  congregation  began  to  arrange  for  the 
building  of  a  church  home.  A  lot  was  purchased  i.iarch  7th,  1895. 
Plans  were  adopted  for  the  erection  of  a  brick  structure  two  stories 
high  with  a  corner  tower.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  on  Wednes- 
day, September  25th,  1895.  Rev.  W.  F.  Rentz  of  Atchison  had 
charge  of  the  ceremony.  The  first  service  was  held  in  the  base- 
ment of  the  new  church  December  15th,  1895.  The  congregation 
worshipped  in  the  auditorium  for  the  first  time  February  2nd,  1896. 
The  common  service  was  introduced  and  rendered.  The  formal 
dedication  took  place  on  November  15th,  1896.     Rev.  J.  A.  Clutz, 

D.  D.,  preached  the  sermon.  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger,  D.  D.,  made  the 
appeal  for  money,  and  $4,000  were  raised  that  day.  The  King's 
Daughters  Circle  subscribed  SI, 000  dollars  in  addition  to  the  SI, 000 
previously  contributed.  $500  were  contributed  by  the  church  at 
Moray,  Kansas.  The  Board  of  Church  Extension  loaned  S3,000 
The  building  cost  $7,000,  is  constructed  of  pressed  brick  and  fin- 
ished in  polished  oak  with  furniture  to  match.  Among  the  appoint- 
ments of  the  church  are  numerous  memorials,  among  the  most 
beautiful  being  the  large  west  window  and  the  altar,  gifts  of  Mrs. 

E.  T.  Nelson  and  children  who  have  done  so  much  for  the  church. 
Rev.  Trefz  resigned  August  2nd,  1898.     He  was  succeeded  by 

Rev.  H.  F.  Schale  who  remained  until  September  1st,  1899.  Rev. 
Millard  J.  Troxell,  D.  D.,  became  pastor  November  15th,  1899. 

In  1900  extensive  improvements  were  made  in  the  Sunday  school 
room.  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz,  D.  D.,  assisted  in  the  re-opening  ser- 
vices in  August-  of  that  year.  In  1903  a  fine  pipe  organ  was  in- 
stalled and  the  church  renewed  and  frescoed  throughout.  On  Aug- 
ust 1st,  1904,  the  call  of  Midland  College  for  a  President  removed 
from  the  church  the  pastor.     Rev.  Benjamin  R.  Lantz,  the  present 


154 


TRINITY,  SEDALIA,  MO. 


pastor,  entered  upon  his  work  November  6th,  1904.  A  W.  H.  and 
F.  M.  society  and  mission  band  were  organized  in  1905.  The  last 
interest  bearing  note  was  canceled  in  March,  1906.  The  church 
reports  260  members  and  property  valued  at  $15,000  on  which  re- 
mains an  indebtedness  of  $3,000  to  the  Board  of  Church  Extension. 


SEDALIA,   MO.,  TRINITY. 

The  planting  of  an  English  Lutheran  church  in  Sedalia  was  due 
largely  to  the  interest  of  Messrs  A.  F.  Dressel,  M.  D.,  J.  F.  Geis- 
chen,  and  H.  H.  Kroencke,  who  laid  the  matter  earnestly  before 
the  western  representatives  of  our  Missionary  Boards.  After  a 
careful  canvass  of  the  place  Rev.  C.  T.  McDaniel,  of  St.  Louis, 
Mo.,  was  invited  to  consummate  the  organization.  A  meeting  to 
this  end  was  duly  advertised  to  take  place  in  the  parlors  of  the 
Baptist  church  on  the  28th  of  November,  1894,  when  the  Trinity 
Ev.  Lutheran  church  was  organized,  a  constitution    and    by-laws 


TRINITY    CHURCH. 


TRINITY,  SEDALIA,  MO. 


155 


adopted,  with  the  following  enrollment  as  charter  members:  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Fred  Luecking,  J.  F.  Geischen,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  H.  Kro- 
encke,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dr.  A.  F.  Dresel,  Mrs.  F.  Buske,  and  J.  H. 
Meyer.  To  these  names  were  added  a  little  later,  Catharine  L.  and 
Bettie  E.  Bremer  and  A.  Dexheimer.  Messrs  Luecking  and  Kro- 
encke  were  elected  Elders  and  Geischen,  Meyer,  Dexheimer  and 
Dresel  were  elected  as  Deacons.  A  Sunday  school  was  organized 
on  the  17th  of  February  following,  with  Dr.  Dresel  as  Superinten- 
dent. After  advising  with  the  Home  Mission  Board  a  call  was  ex- 
tended to  Rev.  John  F.  Seibert,  who  took  charge  of  the  mission  on 


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TRINITY    PARSONAGE. 

the  1st  of  July.  The  first  services  and  Sunday  school  were  hsld  in 
the  Advent  church,  a  small  frame  building  on  the  corner  of  Tenth 
street  and  Missouri  avenue.  Rev.  Seibert  was  formally  installed 
on  the  21st  of  July  by  Rev.  F.  D.  Altman  and  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger.  At 
first  the  congregation  thought  to  hold  its  connection  with  the  Synod 
of  Central  Illinois,  but  owing  to  the  near  proximity  of  Kansas 
Synod  it  united  with  the  latter  in  October,  1895.  A  central  lot  was 
purchased  on  the  corner  of  Tenth  street  and  Osage  avenue  for 
$3,300,  on  which  stood  a  good  two-story  ten-room  frame  house 
well  adapted  for  a  parsonage.  The  house  was  moved  to  the  in- 
side of  the  lot,  and  in  the  following  spring  ground  was  broken  for 
the  chapel  and  the  foundation  put  in.  The  corner-stone  was  laid 
on  the  12th  of  July,  1896,  when  the  presence  of  Drs.  Barnitz  and 
Yarger  added  greatly  to  the  joy  and  success  of  the  occasion.    Work 


156  ST.    MARK'S,   ST.    LOUIS,   MO. 

was  pushed  forward  on  the  building  until  its  completion  and  dedi- 
cation on  the  29th  of  November.  Rev.  M.  Rhodes,  D.  D.,  preached 
in  the  morning  and  Rev.  J.  M.  Cromer  in  the  evening,  Rev.  H.  L. 
Yarger  making  the  appeal  for  funds.  Good  subscriptions  and  cash 
were  taken  aggregating  $1,636.  The  chapel  is  about  38  by  65  feet, 
with  tower  on  the  corner,  faced  with  pressed  brick,  with  seating 
room  for  250  people.  The  windows  are  all  memorial,  the  furniture 
is  of  solid  oak,  and  the  walls  and  ceiling  frescoed  to  match.  The 
entire  cost  of  the  building  and  appointments  was  $3,000.  The  cost 
of  the  moving  of  the  house  and  repairs  was  $700.  This  made  the 
total  expenditures  $7,000.  While  the  Home  Mission  Board  aided 
in  the  support  of  the  pastor  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  came 
to  their  help  with  a  donation  of  $300  and  a  loan  of  $2,000.  In 
the  summer  of  1899  an  addition  was  built  to  the  chapel  for  the 
prayer  meetings  and  the  primary  department  of  the  Sunday  school 
at  a  cost  of  $325,  which  was  all  provided  for  before  the  day  of  the 
opening,  December  3d,  1899,  when  Dr.  Yarger  preached  the  sermon. 
Owing  to  ill  health  and  over  work,  Rev.  Seibert  resigned  on  the  1st 
of  November,  1900,  after  a  very  successful  pastorate,  his  little 
band  of  a  dozen  charter  members  having  grown  to  96,  and  in  addi- 
tion to  this  his  congregation  were  worshipping  in  a  comfortable 
chapel  of  their  own  and  the  pastor  was  nicely  housed  in  a  com- 
modious parsonage,  although  there  remained  a  debt  on  the  property 
as  a  whole  of  $3,355.  On  January  1st,  1901,  Rev.  J.  C.  Jacoby, 
D.  D.,  became  pastor  serving  the  congregation  until  November  1st, 
1904.  He  was  succeeded  in  April  by  Rev.  S.  M.  Lesher,  the  present 
pastor.  A  Ladies'  Aid  Society  was  organized  on  the  2nd  of  August, 
1895,  and  a  Luther  League  on  December  4th  of  the  same  year. 
According  to  its  last  parochial  report  the  church  has  70  members, 
and  property  valued  at  $8,000,  with  $2,700  indebtedness.  The 
church  is  still  a  mission. 


ST.  LOUIS,  MO.,  ST.  MARK'S. 

The  first  steps  looking  toward  establishing  a  mission  of  the  Gen- 
eral Synod  at  St.  Louis  were  taken  in  May  and  June,  1865,  when 
Rev.  Morris  Officer,  Secretary  of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  visited 
the  place,  made  a  canvass  of  the  city,  and  tried  in  vain  to  secure 
a  place  in  which  to  hold  services.  In  1866  he  visited  St.  Louis  but 
did  not  remain  long  as  the  cholera  was  prevalent  along  the  wharf. 
In  February,  1867,  he  returned  and  after  spending  a  week  canvass- 


ST.    MARK'S,   ST.    LOUIS,   MO.  157 

ing  the  city  called  a  meeting  at  the  home  of  Col.  H.  C.  Creveling, 
1425  Lucas  Place,  on  the  6th  of  March.  On  account  of  a  violent 
snow  storm  but  few  were  present  but  they  decided  to  proceed  to 
organize  and  submit  their  action  to  the  absent  ones  for  their  signa- 
ture. Rev.  Officer  presided,  and  Mr.  J.  A.  J.  Schultz  acted  as  sec- 
retary. There  were  present  Geo.  W.  Berry,  Mrs.  Ann  M.  Berry, 
Mrs.  H.  Creveling,  William  D.  Gantzhorn,  Miss  Mary  Gantzhorn, 
J.  A.  J.  Schultz  and  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Schultz,  and  subsequently  the 
following  names  were  signed  to  the  proceedings:  Louis  Gantz- 
horn, Clara  Gantzhorn,  R.  R.  Honeyman,  Elizabeth  Honeyman, 
Simon  Durst,  John  Miller,  Geo.  L.  Fell  and  Emily  B.  Fell.  On 
Tuesday,  May  14th  at  the  home  of  Mr.  Schultz  a  congregational 
meeting  was  held  with  Mr.  Officer  present  when  a  constitution  was 
adopted  and  half  of  the  officers  were  elected,  as  follows:  Elder, 
Mr.  J.  A.  J.  Schultz;  Deacon,  Geo.  L.  Fell,  and  Trustees,  Louis 
Gantzhorn  and  R.  R.  Honeyman.  On  the  20th  following  twenty 
united  by  letter,  and  two  by  confirmation.  The  sum  of  $1,240  was 
subscribed  toward  the  purchase  of  a  lot  and  the  erection  of  a 
church  building. 

Rev.  S.  W.  Harkey,  D.  D.,  took  charge  as  pastor  the  First  of 
October  and  began  holding  regular  services  in  a  hall  on  Tenth  and 
Carr  streets,  organizing  a  Sunday  school  at  once  with  the  follow- 
ing officers:  Superintendent,  Jas.  Garnett;  Asst.  Superintendent, 
G.  W.  Berry;  Secretary,  N.  Brown;  Treasurer,  J.  A.  J.  Schultz; 
Librarian,  E.  D.  Flora.  At  a  subsequent  meeting  Mr.  G.  W.  Berry 
was  elected  (additional)  Elder,  James  Garnett  and  J.  J.  Conklin, 
Deacons,  and  D.  C.  Siegrist,  Trustee. 

In  the  spring  of  1868  Dr.  Harkey  raised  in  cash  and  subscrip- 
tions in  the  East  $1,874,  and  this  encouraged  the  Church  Council 
to  purchase  a  site  for  a  church,  located  at  the  corner  of  Wash 
street  and  Elliot  avenue,  costing  $4,600.  On  the  1st  of  July  the 
church  was  incorporated,  and  in  August  plans  for  a  building  were 
adopted.  Messrs  Schultz,  Berry  and  Garnett  were  appointed  a 
building  committee.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  on  the  6th  of  Sep- 
tember. In  February  the  following  year  they  began  to  worship  in 
the  Lecture  Room  of  the  new  structure,  renting  the  pews  for  in- 
come. 

The  church  was  a  mission  under  the  auspices  of  the  Maryland 
Synod.  In  October,  1869,  Dr.  Harkey  resigned,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  Prof.  J.  B.  Corbett,  who  was  installed  in  February  follow- 
ing, Rev.  J.  B.  Helwig,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  G.  A.  Bowers  officiating. 
The  Ev.  Lutheran  Synod  of  Kansas  and  adjacent  states    having 


158  FIRST  CHURCH,  TOPEKA. 

been  organized  the  congregation  decided  to  withdraw  from  the 
Synod  of  Central  Illinois  at  a  meeting  held  February  2nd,  and  in 
October  it  was  enrolled  in  the  new  western  Synod.  Prof.  Corbett 
was  succeeded  in  1871  by  Rev.  M.  Rhodes,  who  found  a  congre- 
gation of  about  thirty  members,  none  of  whom  were  property  own- 
ers, and  with  a  debt  of  about  $12,000  running  at  10  per  cent,  on 
the  property.  He  at  once  set  himself  to  work  at  completing  the 
church  main  room,  which  was  accomplished  at  a  cost  of  $3,500. 
In  the  fall  of  1872  the  congregation  at  its  request  was  again  en- 
rolled in  the  Synod  of  Central  Illinois.  This  ended  its  relation  to 
Kansas  Synod.  Later  Dr.  Rhodes  sold  the  old  church  for  $7,250 
and  erected  the  present  St.  Mark's,  at  Cardinal  and  Bell  avenues, 
at  a  total  cost  of  $65,000,  including  a  debt  of  $32,000,  every  dollar 
of  which  as  the  years  went  by  was  paid  by  annual  Easter  Offer- 
ings. 


TOPEKA,  FIRST.  EV.  LUTHERAN. 

The  church  at  Topeka  is  one  of  the  churches  organized  before 
the  founding  of  Kansas  Synod.  Among  the  Lutherans  residing  in 
the  city  was  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee  who  had  it  in  his  heart  to  organize 
a  church  there  ever  since  the  close  of  the  Civil  War.  He  opened 
correspondence  with  Rev.  Morris  Officer  the  secretary  of  the  old 
Home  Mission  Society  inviting  him  to  Topeka.  This  resulted  in  the 
latter  making  a  trip  through  the  West  in  1866  when  he  visited  among 
other  Kansas  points  the  Capital  City,  with  no  other  results  than 
gathering  information.  In  March  the  following  year  he  again  came 
to  Kansas  this  time  organizing  Lutheran  missions,  the  first  to  be 
organized  in  Kansas  under  the  direct  agency  of  the  Society;  one 
at  Lawrence  and  one  at  Topeka.  The  Topeka  organization  was  ef- 
fected on  April  7th  in  the  Executive  office  of  the  Governor  of 
Kansas,  at  427-9  Kansas  avenue,  Rev.  McAfee  at  that  time  being 
the  Private  Secretary  to  Governor  Crawford.  The  charter  members 
were  Rev.  and  Mrs.  J.  B.  McAfee,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Guthrie,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  C.  H.  Ellison,  Hugo  Kullah,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  P.  Benson, 
A.  S.  Holmburg,  John  Ruble,  Mary  Ruble,  John  Lind,  Charles  Moser 
and  Charles  Smith.  Officers  were  elected  and  steps  taken  toward 
securing  a  house  of  worship.  To  encourage  them  Rev.  Officer 
pledged  his  society  for  $100  toward  the  purchase  of  a  lot  and 
$2,000  toward  the  erection  of  a  church.  Rev.  A.  J.  Hesson  was 
chosen   pastor  arriving  August    15th,  and   for  the  year   following 


FIRST  CHURCH,  TOPEKA. 


159 


served  the  congregation  in  connection  with  that  at  Lawrence  as  a 
pastoral  charge  under  commission  of  the  Home  Mission  Society. 
The  first  services  were  held  in  the  Methodist  church,  the  preaching 
being  of  a  union  nature,  the  two  pastors  alternating  in  holding  ser- 
vices. On  January  28th  the  services  were  transferred  to  the  Ger- 
maia  Hall  located  on  lower  Kansas  Ave.  Soon  after  the  organiza- 
tion three  lots  were  purchased  for  $500,  located  on  Topeka  avenue, 


FIRST  CHURCH,  (OLD.) 

between  Fifth  and  Sixth  streets,  by  Rev.  McAfee,  and  presented 
by  him  to  the  congregation.  In  the  winter  plans  were  adopted  for 
a  frame  church  25  by  40  feet  and  to  cost  $3,500.  The  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  gave  $2,100  toward  this,  which  had  been  raised  by  the 
West  Pennsylvania  Synod,  and  the  balance  was  provided  by  the 
congregation.  The  building  was  dedicated  on  the  21st  of  June, 
1868,  Rev.  Levi  Sternberg  preaching  the  sermon  from  I.  Tim.  3:15 
"The  church  of  the  living  God,  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth." 
Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington  and  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee  were  present  assist- 
ing the  pastor.  The  building  was  a  plain  Gothic  chapel  boarded 
and  battened  up  and  down,  with  a  small  cupola  upon  the  roof.  It 
was  seated  with  pine  painted  pews,  with  walnut  arms.  On  the  day 
of  dedication  a  Sunday  school  was  organized  with  D.  W.  Nellis  as 


160 


FIRST  CHURCH,  TOPEKA. 


FIRST   CHURCH,    (NEW.) 

Superintendent  and  Mr.  A.  P.  Benson  as  librarian.  Topeka  at  that 
time  had  6,000  population  and  it  was  thought  that  the  pastor  ought 
to  give  his  entire  time  to  this  point,  instead  of  dividing  it  between 
this  city  and  Lawrence.  The  division  was  made  the  following  year. 
In  this  church  Kansas  Synod  was  organized  on  the  5th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1868.  Rev.  Hesson  resigned  August  31,  1871,  at  which  time 
the  church  reported  a  membership  of  46.  In  April,  1872,  Rev.  B. 
F.  Alleman  became  pastor  who  remained  seven  months.  For  the 
next  eight  years  the  church  was  without  a  pastor,  during  which 
time  the  pulpit  was  supplied  irregularly  and  a  Sunday  school  main- 
tained, and  although  the  membership  was  augmented  now  and  then 


FIRST  CHURCH,  TOPEKA.  161 

it  dwindled  down  to  22  and  presented  a  rather  forlorn  hope.  Upon 
the  return  to  Topeka  from  Leavenworth  of  Rev.  McAfee  in  Decem- 
ber, 1879,  after  an  absence  of  seven  years,  he  set  himself  to  the 
task  of  resuscitating  the  sleeping  church  and  agitated  the  calling 
of  a  pastor.  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser,  then  Traveling  Missionary  of 
Kansas  Synod,  had  visited  Topeka  at  various  times  with  the  same 
thought,  at  one  time  remaining  for  three  months  on  the  ground. 
When  the  Synod  met  at  Lawrence  in  1879  Rev.  McAfee  and  Mr. 
Lewis  P.  Firey  of  Topeka,  requested  that  it  endorse  an  application 
from  Topeka  for  missionary  aid  from  the  Board  of  Home  Missions. 
This  was  done  and  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser  was  commissioned  mis- 
sionary at  Topeka  the  Board  appropriating  $500  a  year  toward  his 
salary  and  the  congregation  $300  more.  On  February  1st,  of  the 
following  year,  he  entered  upon  the  work.  One  of  the  first  move- 
ments was  the  erection  of  a  small  6  room  parsonage  on  the  north 
lot  of  the  church  property,  at  a  cost  of  $800.  In  1884  the  pastor 
began  the  agitation  looking  for  a  better  church  home.  Early  that 
year  their  property  was  sold  for  $4,500  and  the  present  site  at  the 
corner  of  Fifth  and  Harrison  streets  was  purchased  for  the  same 
sum.  Later  the  eastern  half  was  sold  for  $2,200  which  gave  the 
congregation  a  nest  egg  for  its  new  building.  The  Board  of  Church 
Extension  loaned  them  $5,000.  The  plans  called  for  a  brick  veneer 
building,  the  auditorium  of  which  was  48  by  60  feet  and  a  lecture 
room  26  by  48  feet,  with  two  other  entrances  making  the  outside 
dimensions  65  by  90  feet.  The  structure  was  to  be  Gothic  with  a 
mixture  of  the  Romansque.  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  L.  P.  Firey,  H.  C. 
Brown,  C.  K.  Felton,  F.  S.  Stumbaugh  and  Elias  Shull  were  the 
building  committee.  The  cost  was  a  little  over  $16,000.  The  corn- 
er-stone was  laid  on  the  15th  of  June,  1884,  and  on  the  30th  of 
November  the  building  was  dedicated,  Kansas  Synod  meeting  in  it 
at  that  time.  Rev.  F.  W.  Conrad,  D.  D.,  preached  the  sermon,  from 
Isa.  2:3.  In  February,  1888  the  congregation  assumed  self-sup- 
port. Rev.  Dornblaser  resigned  on  the  1st  of  June,  1890,  and  in 
August  following  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  F.  M.  Porch  who  re- 
mained a  little  over  four  years.  During  the  latter's  pastorate  in- 
ternal dissension  greatly  weakened  the  church.  On  the  1st  of  May, 
1895,  Rev.  A.  E.  Wagner  became  pastor,  the  Home  Mission  Board 
again  coming  to  the  help  of  the  church,  appropriating  $300  per  year 
for  the  support  of  the  pastor.  This  continued  for  four  years  with 
decreasing  amounts.  Rev.  Wagner  resigned  in  February,  1900. 
He  was  succeeded  in  the  following  June  by  Rev.  H.  A.  Ott,  then 
of  Quincy,  Ills.     During  the  pastorate  of  Dr.  Ott  of  nearly  seven 


162 


TOPEKA    PIPE    ORGAN    AND   CHANCEL. 


FIRST  CHURCH,  ORGAN  AND  CHANCEL. 

years  over  $3,000  was  expended  in  overhauling,  repairing  and  re- 
roofing  the  church.  An  elegant  two  manual  pipe  organ  was  installed 
at  a  cost  of  $1,200,  two  new  furnaces,  a  piano,  a  beautiful  altar, 


ST.    PAUL'S,   VALLEY    FALLS.  163 

baptismal  font,  and  fine  chancel  railings,  new  carpets,  wall  decora- 
tion, etc.,  making  the  interior  rank  with  the  very  finest  of  the  Kan- 
sas Synod  churches.  In  1881  a  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  S.  was  organized 
which  has  always  been  a  great  help  to  the  church  and  at  present 
is  one  of  the  most  efficient  in  the  Synod.  Dr.  Ott  resigned  Feb- 
ruary 1st,  1907.  The  church  has  203  communicant  members  and 
property  valued  at  $16,000.  In  July  Rev.  W.  W.  Horn  was  called 
to  take  charge  October  1,  1907. 


TOPEKA,  FIRST  SWEDISH  LUTHERAN. 

The  First  Swedish  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Topeka  was  organized 
in  1870,  some  of  the  members  coming  out  of  the  English  Lutheran 
church.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  it  was  received  into  the  Kan- 
sas Synod  while  Rev.  C.  J.  Sheleen  was  pastor.  The  church  re- 
mained in  this  Synod  until  1873,  when  it  called  a  pastor  who  be- 
longed to  the  Augustana  Synod.  This  brother  persuaded  the  con- 
gregation to  withdraw  from  the  Kansas  Synod  and  unite  with  the 
Augustana  Synod.  As  the  church  had  received  considerable  help 
from  General  Synod  people  in  Topeka  in  securing  a  church  home, 
the  transfer  was  resisted  until  some  satisfactory  settlement  or  re- 
turn of  money  was  made.  This  made  the  separation  rather  an  un- 
pleasant one  as  the  settlement  was  not  made  or  satisfactory  ex- 
planation offered.  The  church  united  with  the  Augustana  Synod 
in  1872. 


VALLEY  FALLS,  ST.  PAUL'S. 

Were  it  not  for  a  succession  of  re-organizations,  the  St.  Paul's 
church  of  Valley  Falls  would  enjoy  the  positive  distinction  of  be- 
ing the  first  permanent  Lutheran  church  established  on  Kansas 
soil.  Some  do  view  it  to  be  such  notwithstanding  the  long  periods 
when  no  Lutheran  services  were  held  in  that  village  and  no  pre- 
tensions made  toward  maintaining  a  church  there.  The  town  does 
however  have  the  honor  of  possessing,  still  standing,  the  oldest 
Lutheran  church  building  west  of  the  Missouri  river.  The  first  or- 
ganization at  Valley  Falls,  then  Grasshopper  Falls,  was  effected 
on  the  14th  of  June,  1857,  by  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  a  full  account  of 
which  is  found  in  the  sketch  of  the  pioneer  work  and  workers  in 
the  opening  chapters  of  this  volume.     Rev.  McAfee  served    this 


164 


ST.    PAUL'S,   VALLEY    FALLS. 


church  in  connection  with  one  at  Crooked  Creek,  one  at  Pardee, 
and  one  at  Monrovia,  preaching  at  two  of  them  every  other  Sunday. 
When  the  civil  war  broke  out  he  became  very  anxious  to  enlist, 
finally  resigning  his  field  and  entering  the  army  in  the  summer  of 
1862.  It  was  the  rule  of  Rev.  McAfee  not  to  accept  any  compen- 
sation for  his  services  as  pastor  or  preacher.  At  one  time  he  re- 
fused a  purse  of  $50  which  had  been  collected  for  him.    The  result 


st.  Paul's  church. 


of  this  policy  very  naturally  was  to  cripple  the  charge  when  it  call- 
ed a  pastor  who  devoted  his  entire  time  to  preaching  the  gospel 
rather  than  sharing  it  with  farming.  This  was  evident  soon  after, 
when  the  congregation  at  Grasshopper  Falls  sold  some  of  its  prop- 
erty to  pay  the  pastor's  salary.  In  June,  1864,  Rev.  S.  P.  Harring- 
ton began  holding  an  occasional  service  in  the  little  walnut  church 
erected  with  much  personal  toil  by  Father  McAfee.  In  his  church 
record  at  that  time  he  says  there  were  only  five  members  residing 
there,  and  this  seemed  so  small  a  number  that  it  was  not  regarded 
as  an  organization.     However  in  1866  there  came  a  number  of  sub- 


ST.    PAUL'S,   VALLEY    FALLS.  165 

stantial  Lutheran  families  from  Ililnois,  who  wanted  regular  stated 
services.  Rev.  Harrington  was  then  serving  the  Monrovia  church 
as  missionary  under  the  appointment  of  the  Home  Mission  Society, 
and  getting  the  consent  of  that  society  and  the  church  at  Monrovia, 
he  decided  to  give  Grasshopper  Falls  regular  services  and  to  re- 
organize the  church  there.  This  was  done  on  the  7th  of  October, 
1866,  and  the  church  named,  "The  Grasshopper  Falls  Ev.  Lutheran 
church."  The  following  charter  members  were  enrolled:  Abraham 
Hosier,  Martha  Hosier,  Martha  Rectorl,  Catherine  Vandenberg, 
Emily  Divelbiss,  G.  W.  Crotzer,  Mary  E.  Crotzer,  Levi  Zimmerman, 
Lucinda  Zimmerman,  Sarah  Beegle,  Elizabeth  Beegle,  Anthony 
Walters,  Michael  Senn,  Mary  Crotzer,  Anton  Reichard,  Sr.,  Fred- 
erick Reichard,  Margaret  Reichard,  Frederick  Doelfelder,  Anna 
Doelfelder,  Joseph  Hilty,  Barbara  Hilty,  Philip  Reichard,  Anton 
Richard,  Jr.,  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  Anna  McAfee,  Rev.  S.  P.  Harring- 
ton and  Hannah  Harrington.  The  first  Church  Council  was  com- 
posed of  Abraham  Hosier  and  Anton  Reichard  Sr.,  Elders;  G.  W. 
Crotzer  and  Michael  Senn,  Deacons.  The  church  record  states 
that  a  regular  call  was  not  extended  to  Rev.  Harrington  until  April 
1868.  In  the  spring  of  1869  a  Sunday  school  was  organized  under 
the  auspices  of  the  American  Sunday  School  Union,  which,  in  the 
following  year,  was  re-organized  as  a  strictly  Lutheran  school.  In 
1870  plans  were  adopted  for  the  erection  of  a  brick  church  and  a 
building  committee  appointed  but  owing  to  the  stringency  of  the 
times  the  project  was  abandoned.  In  August,  1871,  Rev.  Harring- 
ton resigned.  He  was  followed  for  a  short  time  by  Rev.  S.  N.  St. 
John.  Then  the  charge  for  ten  years  was  vacant,  of  which  the  re- 
cords say,  "Owing  to  removals  and  for  other  reasons  all  former 
organizations  of  the  Lutheran  church  at  Valley  Falls,  failed  or 
were  disbanded.  Sometime  in  1874  the  church  building  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  there  was  no  preaching 
service  held  by  any  pastor  of  the  Lutheran  church  from  1874  until 
June,  1885." 

At  the  last  named  date  Rev.  A.  M.  Geiger  went  to  Valley  Falls, 
commissioned  as  a  missionary  by  the  Board  of  Home  Missions,  and 
on  the  1st  of  August  organized  "The  St.  Paul's  Ev.  Lutheran 
Church,"  with  forty-two  souls,  among  whom  were,  G.  W.  Crotzer, 
Edw.  Snyder,  Mariah  Snyder,  Jonathan  Kramer,  Alice  Kramer, 
Thos.  Swab,  Susan  Swab,  J.  M.  Dornblaser,  Mrs.  Amelia  Dorn- 
blaser,  E.  W.  Benedix,  Elizabeth  Benedix,  Edw.  Martin,  Kate  Mar- 
tin, Philip  Klebenstein,  Elizabeth  Klebenstein  and  Hannah  Stock- 
well.    Messrs  Crotzer  and  Benedix  were  chosen  Elders,  and  Messrs 


166  ST.  PAUl/S,  VALLEY  FALLS. 

Snyder  and  Swab  were  made  Deacons,  and  J.  Kramer  and  E.  W. 
Benedix,  Trustees. 

The  church  at  once  prospered  under  the  wise  direction  of  Rev. 
Geiger.  In  his  second  quarterly  report  to  the  Mission  Board  he 
said,  "We  have  now  secured  a  veiy  well  located  corner  lot,  150  by 
150  feet,  and  have  started  a  subscription  to  pay  for  the  same." 
They  had  been  worshipping  in  a  Methodist  church,  taking  the  build- 
ing when  not  in  use  by  that  denomination.  Plans  for  the  erection 
of  a  brick  building  34  by  55  feet  were  adopted  and  the  enterprise 
was  rapidly  pushed  to  completion.  The  dedication  took  place  Jan- 
uary 23d,  1887,  Revs.  S.  B.  Barnitz  and  J.  M.  Cromer  assisting  the 
pastor  in  the  ceremonies.  The  structure  was  Gothic,  one  story,  with 
a  commanding  tower  94  feet  high,  and  was  quite  churchly  both  as 
to  its  interior  and  exterior.  The  room  was  lighted  with  a  Bailey 
reflector  and  seated  with  300  assembly  chairs.  The  pulpit  was 
made  from  California  red  wood.  The  total  cost  was  $5,733,  and 
on  the  dedication  day  $1,318  were  needed  which  was  partially  pro- 
vided. The  Board  of  Church  Extension  loaned  them  $500  and  do- 
nated $200. 

On  Friday  morning  August  5th,  a  little  over  six  months  after  the 
church  was  dedicated,  it  was  struck  by  lightning  and  consumed  by 
fire.  By  almost  superhuman  efforts  the  organ,  the  chandeliers, 
most  of  the  chairs,  and  windows  were  saved,  in  the  midst  of  a  ter- 
rific storm,  the  determined  people  battling  with  both  elements,  fire 
and  water.  A  debt  of  $600  still  remained  on  the  structure  aside 
from  the  Church  Extension  loan,  and  there  was  no  insurance.  For 
a  while  it  seemed  very  dark  to  both  pastor  and  people.  But  undis- 
mayed by  the  fire  disaster  they  set  to  work  to  rebuild  as  soon  as 
material  could  be  obtained.  Help  began  to  pour  in  from  many 
sides.  The  Church  Extension  gave  them  another  loan  of  $500,  and 
a  donation  of  $566.96  which  latter  was  largely  the  gift  of  Kansas 
Synod  which  subscribed  $503  at  the  fall  meeting.  The  re-built 
structure  was  ready  for  dedication  on  the  18th  of  December  of 
the  same  year  when  the  pastor  was  assisted  by  Revs.  J.  M.  Cromer, 
T.  F.  Dornblaser,  and  J.  B.  McAfee.  Rev.  Geiger  resigned  Decem- 
ber 1st,  1889,  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Thomas  in  June,  who 
remained  but  four  months*.  After  another  vacancy  of  nearly  six 
months  Rev.  Geiger  was  recalled,  remaining  as  pastor  until  March, 
1893,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Umberger.  At  this 
time  the  Valley  Falls  and  Effingham  churches  united  as  a  pastoral 
charge.  About  the  middle  of  1895  Rev.  Umberger  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  S.  M.  Lesher,  who  remained  until  the  spring  of  1898.    Dur- 


ST.    JOHN'S,   VINLAND.  167 

ing  the  latters  incumbency,  $800  was  paid  on  the  interest  bearing 
debt  on  the  new  building.  From  this  time  until  June,  1901,  the 
charge  was  vacant,  being  supplied  occasionally.  At  the  latter  date 
Rev.  J.  M.  Herbst  took  charge,  and  served  until  December  1st, 
1906,  when  he  resigned  to  devote  all  his  time  to  the  church  in 
Effingham.  At  present  the  church  reports  37  members,  and  a  debt 
of  $1,900.  Rev.  Holmes  Dysinger,  D.  D.,  of  the  Western  Theolog- 
ical Seminary,  now  supplies  them  regularly,  the  congregation  hav- 
ing been  separated  by  the  Synod  from  Effingham. 


VINLAND,  ST.  JOHN'S. 

Among  the  sturdy  Lutheran  laymen  who  came  to  Kansas  in  the 
pioneer  days,  there  were  none  who  loved  the  church  more  loyally 
than  Father  Joseph  Eberhard,  who  had  emigrated  from  the  East 
in  1854  as  soon  as  the  territory  was  opened,  and  pre-empted  land 
in  the  southern  part  of  Douglass  county.  Here  he  felt  the  isola- 
tion keenly  for  there  were  no  Lutheran  churches  in  the  state  as 
yet.  He  felt  the  need  of  the  means  of  grace  for  his  family  and  soon 
began  to  cast  about  in  search  for  a  Lutheran  minister.  Soon  after 
the  arrival  of  Rev.  David  Earhart,  the  second  Lutheran  minister  to 
enter  the  state  of  Kansas,  Father  Eberhard  heard  of  him  and  earn- 
estly invited  him  to  visit  Douglass  county  and  preach  for  them. 
The  invitation  was  accepted  and  the  services  were  held  in  the  hos- 
pitable home  of  Mr.  Eberhard.  On  the  29th  of  May,  1860,  he  or- 
ganized Christ's  Ev.  Lutheran  church  with  about  twenty-four  char- 
ter members.  He  served  this  church  for  eight  long  years,  and  its 
service  was  possibly  the  most  strenuous  in  its  exactions  on  a  pas- 
tor's strength  of  any  in  Kansas.  During  a  part  of  this  time  the 
pastor  was  living  near  Atchison  and  serving  a  church  at  East  Nor- 
way, another  in  Brown  county,  and  still  another  in  Doniphan 
county  much  of  the  time.  He  would  occasionally  preach  at  Pardee, 
his  old  home,  and  so,  to  make  the  itineracy,  a  tremendous  circuit 
would  have  to  be  ridden  sometimes  involving  over  100  miles.  He 
resigned  the  Vinland  church  in  1868,  and  was  succeeded  by  Revs. 
H.  B.  Belmer,  1869-73;  A.  A.  Trimper,  1873-4;  D.  S.  Altman,  1874- 
9;  D.  Scholl,  1880-93,  and  since  then  Rev.  R.  B.  Whitehill  supplied 
the  church  for  a  year,  and  afterward  students  from  Midland  Col- 
lege and  Baker  University. 

While  Rev.  D.  Scholl  was  pastor  a  church  was  built.  It  is  a 
frame  structure,  24  by  42  feet  and  at  a  cost  of  $1,500,  and  was 


168 


THE   WATERVILLE    CHURCH. 


dedicated  on  the  18th  of  November,  1883.  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser 
preached  the  sermon  and  was  assisted  by  the  pastor  and  Rev.  D. 
Scholl.  A  remaining  debt  of  $233  was  not  only  raised  but  enough 
in  addition  to  purchase  an  organ  for  ihe  church.  The  church  at  the 
present  time  is  supplied  occasionally  by  students,  and  reports  about 
25  members. 

Sometime  during  the  long  history  of  this  church  the  name  was 
changed  from  "Christ's"  to  "St.  John's."  Just  when  this  was  done 
we  cannot  determine.  Rev.  Earhart  in  his  historical  data  furnished 
Kansas  Synod  says  he  organized  the  church  as  "Christ's  and  possi- 
bly at  a  later  date  it  was  re-organized  by  some  other  pastor. 


WATERVILLE,  EV.  LUTHERAN. 

The  pioneer  work  in  the  establishment  of  the  Lutheran  church 
of  the  General  Synod  in  Marshall  and  Washington  counties  was 
done  by  Rev.  F.  R.  Scherer  who  emigrated  from  Illinois  and  Iowa 
to  Waterville  in  1868  and  who  combined  preaching  and  farming 
in  his  efforts  to  secure  a  livelihood.  The  Central  Branch  of  the 
Union  Pacific  railroad  had  just  been  completed  to  this  village  which 
was  destined     for  a  while  to  be  the  terminus  of   the  road.     This 


EV.  LUTHERAN   CHURCH. 


THE    WATERVILLE    CHURCH.  169 

opened  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Blue  for  settlement.  Among  the 
thrifty  immigrants  were  German  and  Swedish  Lutherans  from  the 
Fatherland  as  well  as  quite  a  colony  of  Danes  who  settled  to  the 
north  of  the  village.  Among  these  good  people  Father  Scherer  be- 
gan to  preach,  in  the  spring  of  1869,  and  after  rather  loosely  or- 
ganizing sixteen  of  them  into  a  congregation  on  Saturday,  April 
12th,  he  began  to  agitate  the  erection  of  a  building.  But  they  were 
all  very  poor,  lumber  was  scarce  and  railroad  rates  were  almost 
prohibitive.  They  decided  to  do  the  work  themselves.  Tuesday, 
May  11th,  1869,  was  appointed  as  the  day  to  begin.  The  pastor 
set  a  good  example  by  laying  hold  with  his  own  hands.  They  hewed 
logs  for  the  sills  as  well  as  for  the  frame-work.  The  sides  were 
covered  with  rough  un-planed  cottonwood  boards,  up  and  down, 
and  without  battens.  Loose  boards  were  laid  for  a  floor  and  temp- 
orary seats  were  constructed  out  of  the  same  material.  By  Satur- 
day night  of  the  same  week  the  structure,  rough  and  rugged  and 
furnitureless,  was  completed,  and  on  the  following  day  it  was  ded- 
icated, Rev.  M.  G.  Boyer  of  Atchison  assisting  the  pastor  in  the 
consecration.  The  church  was  20  by  30  feet,  and  cost  $350,  of 
which  $110  remained  a  debt  to  be  carried  for  a  while.  The  sum- 
mer sun  soon  played  havoc  with  the  green  cottonwood  siding,  which 
curled  and  warped  leaving  great  open  cracks  in  the  walls  which  un- 
fitted it  for  use  during  the  following  winter.  After  this  services 
were  held  in  the  school  houses,  private  homes,  and  now  and  then 
in  a  passenger  coach  should  any  happen  to  be  in  the  village  over 
Sunday.     Having  no  home  this  congregation  soon  disintegrated. 

The  present  Waterville  church  dates  from  Jan.  21st,  1871,  when 
the  church  was  re-organized  in  the  new  frame  school  building,  a 
constitution  adopted,  and  the  following  charter  members  enrolled: 
Christian  Shirck,  Mrs.  Mary  Shirck,  J.  H.  Reitzell,  Mrs.  Emma 
Reitzell,  Geo.  M.  Kindel,  Mrs.  Eliza  Kindel,  Isaak  H.  Flook,  Mrs. 
Ruth,  F.  B.  Flook,  Aug.  Frahm,  Mrs.  Sophia  Frahm,  Daniel  Reitzell, 
Mrs.  Melvina  Reitzell,  Jacob  Baker,  Mrs.  Magdalena  Baker,  James 
Smith,  Mrs.  Maria  Winklepeck,  Mary  E.  Winklepeck,  Saml.  L. 
Shirck,  and  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Shirck.  Mr.  C.  Shirck  and  Mr.  J.  R 
Reitzell  were  elected  elders;  Jacob  Baker  and  Aug.  Frahm,  dea- 
cons; and  Geo.  Kindahl,  Dan'l  Reitzell  and  Samuel  Shirck,  trustees. 
On  February  12th,  1871,  Rev.  D.  Harbaugh  was  elected  pastor. 
At  the  same  time  steps  were  taken  to  secure  a  lot  for  the  location 
of  a  church.  The  railroad  contributed  one  on  the  condition  that 
it  be  properly  fenced,  which  was  duly  complied  with.  A  month 
later  it  was  decided  to  "arise  and  build"  and  a  committee  was  ap- 


170 


THE    WATERVILLE    CHURCH. 


pointed  to  proceed,  but  the 
coming  of  the  great  swarms 
of  grasshoppers  that  year 
made  this  step  impossible. 
From  November,  1872  to 
November,  1873  the  Home 
Mission  So.  aided  to  the  ex- 
tent of  $200.  As  the  Ken- 
yon  school  house  3  miles 
westward  was  located  near 
a  large  Lutheran  settle- 
ment, the  services  were 
transferred  there.  After 
seven  years  of  faithful  ser- 
vice Rev.  Harbaugh  was 
succeeded  on  the  28th  of 
September,  1878,  by  Rev. 
Jacob  Schauer.  In  this 
church  the  first  Woman's 
Home  and  Foreign  Mis- 
sion Society  in  Kansas  was 
organized  on  the  7th  of 
September,  1879,  and  by  Mrs.  J.  Schauer,  while  the  congregation 
worshipped  in  the  Kenyon  school  house  three  miles  out  of  Water- 
ville.  This  society  is  still  in  existence.  Mrs.  Schauer  also  organ- 
ized a  Missionary  Society  at  Hebron. 

Rev.  J.  A.  Lowe  became  pastor  in  September,  1883.  He  at  once 
inaugurated  a  movement  which  transplanted  the  congregation  from 
the  country  to  the  town.  The  Baptist  church  was  rented  and  here 
services  were  held  until  the  new  church  was  built.  In  the  fall  of 
1884  a  building  committee  composed  of  Rev.  Lowe,  J.  B.  Livers, 
M.  L.  Reitzel,  Henry  Brammer  and  J.  H.  Reitzell,  was  appointed. 
Plans  were  adopted  for  a  frame  structure  28  by  44  feet  with  a 
tower  8  by  8  feet.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  on  the  23d  of  Nov- 
ember, 1884,  Rev.  W.  C.  Seidel  assisting  the  pastor.  The  church 
was  dedicated  on  the  26th  of  July,  1885,  Rev.  J.  M.  Cromer  preach- 
ing the  sermon.  There  were  present,  also,  Rev.  I.  J.  Delo,  of  Law- 
rence, Dr.  Charles  Martin  of  St.  Joseph,  and  the  local  ministers 
who  assisted  the  pastor  in  the  consecration.  The  building  had  cost 
$2,525  of  which  $700  remained  unprovided  for  on  the  day  of  ded- 
ication. This  was  all  raised,  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  donat- 
ing $200.     The  church  was  furnished  with  ash  pews  trimmed  in 


REV.  D.   HARBAUGH. 


HEBRON  CHURCH,  WATERVILLE  CHARGE.  171 

walnut  and  walnut  pulpit  furniture.  On  the  same  day  Rev.  Lowe 
closed  his  ministry,  December  15,  1888,  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
J.  F.  Sponseller  who  remained  on  the  field  till  December  15,  1891, 
doing  good  work.  Rev.  I.  B.  Heisey  was  called  June  5,  1892,  and 
is  the  present  pastor.  The  following  year  a  movement  was  inaug- 
urated for  the  erection  of  a  parsonage.  The  initial  steps  were  taken 
by  the  missionary  society  which  secured  a  site  88  by  150  feet.  The 
stone  for  the  foundation  was  quarried  under  the  supervision  of  the 
pastor,  the  stone  and  hauling  being  donated,  as  was  also  the  exca- 
vating for  the  cellar  and  walls  and  the  laying  of  the  foundation. 
The  house  in  which  the  congregation  originally  had  been  organized 
was  purchased  and  moved  upon  this  foundation.  After  some  re- 
pairing and  overhauling  it  resolved  itself  into  a  very  comfortable 
parsonage.  The  money  cost  to  the  congregation  was  $800,  and 
the  property  today  is  valued  at  $2,000.  The  pastor  being  a  car- 
penter made  this  possible  by  toiling  with  his  own  hands.  The 
church  reports  121  members  and  property  valued  at  $4,000  with 
no  indebtedness.  The  church  is  connected  with  the  Hebron  and  the 
Walnut  Township  churches  in  a  pastoral  charge. 


WATERVILLE,  HEBRON. 

The  initiatory  work  in  the  establishment  of  the  Hebron  Ev.  Luth- 
eran church  was  done  by  Rev.  David  Harbaugh  while  he  was  ser- 
ving the  Waterville  church.  To  this  end  he  labored  in  season  and 
out  of  season,  never  seeming  to  measure  his  services  by  the  pay 
he  received.  At  a  point  five  miles  south  and  two  miles  east  of 
Waterville  is  Pleasant  Hill  school  house  and  around  it  quite  a  Luth- 
eran community.  Here  Rev.  Harbaugh  began  his  work  at  first 
teaching  the  catechism  to  the  children  and  later  holding  a  series 
of  gospel  meetings  which  resulted  in  a  marked  religious  awakening. 
Here  on  the  8th  of  June,  1878,  he  organized  the  Hebron  church 
with  the  following  nineteen  charter  members:  Margaret  Harbaugh, 
F.  J.  Falkner,  Sallie  C.  Falkner,  Charles  F.  Dietelback,  Wm.  Kistler, 
T.  K.  Kistler,  Sarah  A.  Dietelback,  Saddy  A.  Dietelback,  Arabella 
A.  Kistler,  Mrs.  Ellen  Webber,  William  A.  Kistler,  Margaret  Mac- 
Donald,  Angeline  O.  Harbaugh,  George  W.  Harbaugh,  William  M. 
Harbaugh,  Charles  A.  Harbaugh,  Michael  Vernson,  Sarah  J.  Kistler 
and  Helen  Vernson.  A  constitution  was  adopted  and  the  following 
officers  elected:  Elders,  C.  F.  Dietelback  and  W.  K.  Smith;  Dea- 
cons, F.  J.  Falkner  and  L.  K.  Kistler;  Trustees  C.  F.  Dietelback, 


172 


HEBRON   CHURCH,  WATERV1LLE   CHARGE. 


F.  J.  Falkner  and  L.  K.  Kistler.  Rev.  Harbaugh  was  called  as  pas- 
tor remaining  until  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Lowe.  The 
latter  began  to  hold  services  at  the  Keystone  school  house  in  the 
Kistler  neighborhood,  where  he  preached  alternating  with  the  Pleas- 
ant Hill  school  house.  During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  F.  Spon- 
seller  steps  were  taken  to  unite  the  two  points  and  erect  a  church 
building.  This  movement  while  agreed  to  in  the  main  caused  some 
estrangement  on  the  part  of  a  few.  However  the  Swedish  church 
in  that  neighborhood  was  rented  for  a  time.  In  1891  a  building 
lot  was  secured  at  Cottage  Hill  and  the  work  started.     The  plans 


HEBRON     CHURCH. 


called  for  a  frame  chapel  28  by  36  feet,  with  an  addition  16  by  24 
feet,  and  a  tower  eight  feet  square.  While  the  church  was  begun 
under  Rev.  Sponseller  it  was  completed  under  Rev.  Heisey.  Much 
of  the  work  was  donated,  the  outlay  in  money  amounting  to  $2,400. 
Of  this  sum  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  donated  $100,  and  all 
the  balance  was  raised  on  the  day  of  Dedication,  September  11, 
1892.  Revs.  J.  A.  Clutz,  D.D.,  J.  F.  Sponseller  and  J.  A.  Lowe 
assisted  the  pastor  in  the  consecration  services.  Hard  times  fol- 
lowing the  building  of  the  church  some  shrinkage  took  place  in 


THE  WALNUT  TP.  CHURCH,,  WATERVILLE  CHARGE. 


173 


the  subscriptions  given,  and  the  church  found  itself  $300  in  debt 
a  year  after  the  dedication.  The  Church  Extension  Board  made 
them  a  loan  of  $250  to  be  paid  back  in  $50  installments.  All  this 
loan  has  been  repaid.  Rev.  Sponseller  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  I. 
B.  Heisey  the  present  pastor.  The  church  has  been  greatly  weak- 
ened by  recent  removals.  It  has  22  communicant  members  and 
property  valued  at  $2,500.     It  is  a  part  of  the  Waterville  charge. 


WATERVILLE,  WALNUT  TP.,  EV.  LUTHERAN. 

The  community  in  which  this  church  is  located  is  eight  miles 
north  and  one  mile  east  of  Waterville.  Here  a  frame  church  24 
by  36  feet  had  been  erected  by  the  Scandinavian  Ev.  Lutheran 
church.  A  well  kept  cemetery  is  located  by  the  side  of  the  church. 
Rev.  Heisey  was  called  as  early  as  1893  to  conduct  a  funeral  and 
the  place  had  been  visited  by  other  pastors  previously,  but  the  field 
did  not  seem  ripe  for  our  work  until  later.  In  1894  Rev.  Heisey 
began  holding  services  in  a  school  house  three  and  a  half  miles 
northeast  of  Waterville  where  a  Sunday  school  was  organized. 
This  work  was  successfully  carried  on  until  it  was  greatly  hindered 
by  the  moving  to  other  parts  of  the  young  people.  In  1895  another 
point  was  opened  four  miles  farther  north  at  a  place  known  as 
Blanchville.     Here  a  catechetical  class  was  conducted  for  a  season 


WALNUT   TOWNSHIP    LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 


174  WALNUT   TP.   CHURCH,  WATERVILLE  CHARGE. 

and  Sunday  evening  services  held.  These  services  were  largely 
attended  by  both  young  and  old  from  a  Danish  settlement.  It  was 
not  long  until  the  desire  was  expressed  that  the  pastor  preach  in 
the  Danish  Lutheran  church  four  and  a  half  miles  northwest.  This 
request  was  complied  with  and  in  the  fall  of  1897  a  catechetical 
class  was  conducted,  and  on  the  1st  of  January,  1898,  the  English 
Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Walnut  Township  was  organized,  with  the 


WATERVILLE    CHARGE    PARSONAGE. 

following  charter  members:  George  Eddy,  Susan  Eddy,  Peter  Lar- 
son, Albert  Larson,  Albert  Peterson,  Laura  Peterson,  Martin  Scott, 
Mrs.  Martin  Scott,  Peter  Anderson,  Adolph  Giffert,  Minnie  John- 
son, Gertrude  Behm,  Delia  Behm,  Nora  Livene,  Emma  Livene, 
Marie  Lavine,  Hans  Hanson,  Henry  Hanson,  Peter  Peterson,  Anna 
Peterson,  Lena  Blasser,  Clara  Blasser,  Lucy  Scott,  Clara  Scott, 
John  Blasser,  Andrew  Peterson,  Otto  Giffert,  Louis  Nelson  and 
Marie  Nelson.  A  constitution  was  adopted,  and  two  young  men 
were  elected  Deacons,  J.  P.  Larson  and  George  Eddy.  In  the  win- 
ter of  1903-4  the  old  Danish  organization  was  consolidated  with 
the  new  one  and  the  church  is  now  known  as  the  English  Ev.  Luth- 
eran church  of  Walnut  Township.  The  present  membership  is  60 
and  the  officers  are  as  follows:  Elders,  Paul  Peterson,  and  Martin 
Scott;  Deacons,  James  Nielson,  and  Albert  Peterson;  Trustees, 
Peter  Christianson,  Hans  Hanson  and  Albert  Peterson.  The  church 
has  a  property  valued  at  $2,500  and  no  indebtedness.  It  is  a  part 
of  the  Waterville  pastorate. 


ZION'S  CHURCH,  WHITEWATER. 


175 


WHITEWATER,  ZION'S. 

In  the  year  1879  Rev.  Henry  Acker  emigrated  from  Ottawa,  Illi- 
nois, to  Newton,  Kansas,  pre-empting  a  quarter  section  of  land  to 
the  southeast  of  that  city.  After  preaching  in  school  houses 
wherever  opportunity  afforded,  he  organized  a  Sunday  school  in  the 
Richland  school  house  in  the  neighborhood  of  Annelly.  Finding 
people  here  willing  to  enter  a  church  organization,  he  effected  the 
organization  of  Zion's  Ev.  Lutheran  church  on  March  20th,  1881. 
At  that  time  the  nearest  town  was  the  county  seat,  Newton,  13  miles 
distant,  and  from  this  point  for  a  while  Rev.  Acker  served  the  little 
congregation,  maintaining  himself  with  his  farm.  The  charter 
members  of  the  church  were,  Rev.  Henry  Acker,  Mrs.  Martha  A. 
Acker,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  Hanstein,  C.  C.  Acker,  J.  L.  Gorman,  A.  M. 
Gorman,  Margaret  Schriver,  Sallie  Overholt  and  Ada  Worthington. 
Services  were  held  in  this  school  house  until  the  fall  of  1885.  At 
this  time  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad  was  built  and  a  station 
Annelly  located.  The  M.  E.  church  people  at  this  station  kindly 
permitted  the  use  of  their  church  by  the  Lutherans  and  the  school 
house  was  abandoned,  and  for  the  next  three  years  the  congrega- 


zion's  church. 


176  zion's  church,  Whitewater. 

tion  worshipped  in  this  church.  In  the  meantime  the  Rock  Island 
railroad  had  pushed  its  way  southward  and  crossed  the  Missouri 
Pacific  just  over  the  line  in  Butler  county  where  the  new  town  of 
Whitewater  sprang  up.  The  congregation  having  no  property  de- 
cided to  move  four  miles  to  the  east  and  build  a  church  in  White- 
water. Ground  was  broken  early  in  1889,  and  by  the  middle  of 
June  a  neat  frame  structure,  30  by  40  feet  was  completed  and  furn- 
ished, costing  $1,400,  which  was  dedicated  with  great  joy  on  the 
part  of  the  people  on  the  9th  of  June.  The  dedicatory  sermon  was 
preached  by on  which  occasion  all  in- 
debtedness was  cancelled.  This  church  was  burned  to  the  ground 
on  the  19th  of  November,  1893,  from  unknown  causes.  Happily 
it  was  insured  for  $940,  which  gave  the  little  band  a  nest-egg  with 
which  to  rebuild.  Plans  were  adopted  for  a  larger  building,  which, 
while  located  on  the  old  foundation,  had  a  smaller  room  attached, 
15  by  21  feet.  This  building  was  dedicated  on  the  17th  of  June, 
1894,  when  Western  Secretary  Barnitz  and  President  Clutz  assisted 
in  the  dedication  and  added  vastly  to  the  joy  of  the  occasion  by 
their  sermons.  The  entire  debt  was  provided  for.  One  of  the  Pres- 
idents of  Synod  in  his  annual  report  says  of  the  Whitewater  con- 
gregation, "Wise  management,  faith  and  benevolence,  have  char- 
acterized pastor  and  people  throughout  their  history."  Pastor 
Acker  deserves  great  credit  for  his  loyal  work  in  establishing  this 
church.  He  never  received  any  aid  from  either  the  Home  Mission 
Board  or  the  Church  Extension  Board.  For  over  sixteen  years  he 
faithfully  preached  the  gospel  to  this  people  and  administered  the 
holy  sacraments.  On  account  of  the  infirmities  of  old  age  he  re- 
signed on  the  27th  of  April,  1897.  He  died  on  the  13th  of  June 
the  following  year,  greatly  loved  and  lamented.  Rev.  M.  D.  Berg 
was  called,  taking  charge  in  June,  1897,  and  served  the  church 
until  June,  1900,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Elmer  H.  Combs. 
During  his  pastorate  a  comfortable  parsonage  was  bought  located 
only  a  short  distance  from  the  church  building.  Rev.  Combs  re- 
signed in  February,  1905.  During  the  latter  part  of  1905  and  the 
first  half  of  1906  the  church  was  supplied  by  Rev.  F.  R.  Shirck.  At 
the  close  of  his  seminary  course  in  May  he  became  pastor,  when 
the  Mission  Board  granted  the  congregation  some  aid.  This  church 
reports  a  membership  of  64  and  property  to  the  value  of  $3,500. 
It  has  the  reputation  of  being  the  most  benevolent  church  in  the 
synod  in  proportion  to  its  membership,  a  record  it  has  maintained 
for  a  number  of  years,  all  of  which  speaks  volumes  to  the  wisdom 
of  its  founder. 


st.  john's,  Wellington.  177 

WELLINGTON,  ST.  JOHN'S. 

The  pioneer  work  in  establishing  the  English  Lutheran  church 
in  Sumner  county  was  done  by  Rev.  J.  G.  M.  Hursh,  who  went  on 
a  visit  to  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county  in  the  spring  of  1887. 
After  establishing  a  church  at  Portland  in  a  school  house,  and 
erecting  a  building  at  Perth,  he  came  to  Wellington  in  February, 
1888,  canvassed  the  place,  rented  a  store  room,  and  announced  ser- 
vices, soon  finding  enough  material  to  justify  the  organization  of 
a  church.  Services  were  held  in  a  rickety  old  store  room  every  two 
weeks,  and  a  Sunday  school  of  fifty  members  built  up.  The  or- 
ganization was  effected  on  the  8th  of  July  with  twenty-seven  mem- 
bers. A  constitution  was  adopted  and  a  full  complement  of  officers 
elected  and  installed,  and  St.  John's  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Well- 
ington, became  an  assured  fact,  however,  little  dreaming  of  what 
an  experience  they  were  to  pass  through.  At  the  same  meeting  a 
building  committee  was  appointed  and  instructed  to  push  matters 
as  rapidly  as  possible  in  the  erection  of  a  church  home. 

Rev.  J.  N.  Lenker,  western  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Church 
Extension,  visited  the  place  and  aided  in  the  solicitation  of  funds 
and  made  the  church  a  loan  of  $300  from  his  board.  The  corner 
stone  was  laid  on  the  16th  of  September,  Rev.  S.  Henry  preaching 
the  sermon  in  the  M.  E.  church.  The  superstructure  was  pushed 
rapidly  to  completion,  and  on  the  24th  of  October  the  building  was 
set  apart  for  the  worship  of  God,  Rev.  W.  M.  Sparr,  the  President 
of  the  Synod,  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon.  The  Church  Ex- 
tension Board  gave  them  $200  in  addition  to  their  loan,  and  $323, 
were  raised  on  the  day  of  dedication.  When  the  church  was  set 
apart  it  had  a  debt  of  $1,500.  About  the  same  time  a  parsonage 
one  story  high,  34  by  24  feet  adjoining  the  church,  was  built,  cost- 
ing $1,000.  The  congregation  was  on  a  good  footing,  when  Rev. 
Hursh  receiving  an  urgent  call  to  Hutchinson,  accepted  the  same, 
leaving  Wellington  on  the  17th  day  of  April,  1891.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded immediately  by  Rev.  R.  B.  Whitehill,  who,  having  a  large 
family,  finding  the  parsonage  too  small,  at  once  set  about  adding 
another  story.  This  improvement,  together,  with  a  new  front  and 
back  porch,  gave  the  building  a  much  finer  appearance. 

The  church  building  was  found  in  an  unfinished  condition  espe- 
cially in  its  furnishings,  without  pews,  pulpit  furniture  or  carpeting, 
lit  up  by  kerosene  lamps  arranged  around  the  room.  The  new  pas- 
tor at  once  began  the  securing  of  funds  with  which  to  modernize 
things  a  little.     Over  one  hundred  letters  were  written  to  churches 


178 


ST.    JOHNS,    WELLINGTON. 


and  friends  at  a  distance,  and  solicitations  made  at  home,  until  it 
was  thought  a  sufficient  amount  could  be  counted  on,  and  the  work 
of  transition  commenced.  New  pews  were  put  into  the  audience 
room,  and  the  room  carpeted,  new  pulpit  furniture  installed,  walls 
neatly  papered,  while  gas  light  was  thrown  from  lamps  and  chand- 
eliers over  all.  These  improvements  cost  about  $500  and  were  paid 
for  at  the  time.  How  true  however  that  "Man  proposes,  but  God 
disposes",  for  the  congregation  had  worshipped  in  the  renovated 
building  but  a  very  few  Sabbaths  until  all  was  carried  away  by  the 
dreadful  cyclone  which  visited  Wellington  on  the  27th  of  May, 
1892,  at  9  P.  M.  Thus  in  a  few  moments  perished  the  fond  hopes 
of  the  mission  for  it  was  still  a  mission  regularly  aided  by  the 
Home  Board.     The  day  had  been  warm,  the  atmosphere  very  close 


st.  john's  church  after  the  cyclone. 


and  sultry,  with  scarcely  a  leaf  moving.  Dark  clouds  had  been 
gathering  off  and  on  through  the  day,  the  sun  going  down  with 
everything  still  and  hushed.  The  night  following  was  pitch  dark 
and  as  the  hour  of  9  neared,  a  terrible  storm  was  heard  coming 
from  the  southwest.  It  struck  the  town  full  force,  and  in  a  few 
awful  seconds,  swept  the  streets  with  death  and  destruction.  Three 
hundred  buildings,  by  actual  count,  business  houses  and  residences, 


ST.    JOHN'S,    WELLINGTON.  179 

were  totally  destroyed,  or  so  badly  wrecked  that  they  had  to  be 
torn  down.  The  Lutheran,  Presbyterian  and  the  Episcopal  churches 
were  utterly  destroyed.  The  Congregational,  Christian  and  the 
Baptist  churches  were  more  or  less  severely  damaged.  The  Luth- 
eran parsonage,  however,  located  within  ten  or  twelve  feet,  was 
somwhat  shaken  up,  but  not  particularly  damaged.  The  chimney 
was  blown  off,  some  of  the  door  frames  a  little  twisted,  and  a  few 
joints  opened  by  the  sudden  jar.  The  end  of  the  barn  was  blown 
up  against  the  pastor's  buggy,  and  the  buggy  pressed  against  the 
stall  in  which  his  pony  stood,  but  providentially  all  were  held  back 
from  becoming  a  mass  of  ruins  by  a  strongly  erected  coal  bin  at 
the  other  end  of  the  barn.  The  pastor  was  in  the  act  of  getting 
his  family  of  seven  into  the  church  cellar  for  safety,  when  his 
church  was  picked  up  bodily  and  smashed  into  pieces,  some  of  it 
carried  far  away.  A  remarkable  feature  of  the  storm  was  that 
while  the  three  churches  were  destroyed,  their  parsonages  adjoin- 
ing them  were  left  intact,  the  pastors  and  families  remaining  in 
them  in  safety,  momuments  of  a  kind  Providence. 

Fifteen  people  were  killed  outright,  and  about  seventy  were  more 
or  less  injured.  Property  to  the  value  of  $250,000  in  these  few 
seconds  of  time  was  destroyed.  Rev.  Whitehill  lost  his  library  and 
all  his  private  records,  besides  the  data  which  had  been  gathered 
by  the  various  historians  of  the  Kansas  Synod,  he  being  elected  to 
that  office  only  a  short  time  before.  The  writer  feels  this  to  be  his 
personal  loss  for  in  his  search  for  facts  in  the  early  history  of  Luth- 
eranism  in  Kansas  he  has  been  brought  face  to  face  with  a  blank 
dating  beyond  the  time  of  this  fearful  cyclone.  The  news  of  this 
sad  visitation  spread  like  a  flash  all  over  the  land,  and  sympathy 
was  wired  from  a  hundred  points,  and  the  universal  offer  was,  "We 
want  to  help  you" — Money  running  up  into  thousands  of  dollars, 
flowed  into  the  stricken  city,  to  feed  the  hungry,  and  help  them  to 
rebuild  their  homes.  The  Lutheran  church  received  from  the  Re- 
lief Committee,  $1,000  and  the  pastor  $250  to  assist  them  in  get- 
ting on  their  feet.  While  none  of  the  church  people  were  killed  or 
injured,  the  loss  was  a  great  one  for  them  and  they  were  thorough- 
ly discouraged,  and  more  so  from  the  fact  they  still  owed  $1,500 
on  the  destroyed  building.  Many  felt  like  giving  up  the  battle. 
Never  was  a  pastor  compelled  to  face  a  more  distressing  state  of 
affairs  in  view  of  the  fact,  that  he  was  a  missionary  and  his  church 
a  mission.  With  a  courage  and  a  hope  that  inspired  all  whom  he 
met,  he  bade  them  to  be  "strong  and  of  good  courage."  He  felt 
that  God  would  help  them  out  of  their  troubles.      He  made    the 


180 


ST.    JOHN  S,    WELLINGTON. 


proposition  to  them  that  if  they  would  take  care  of  the  old  debt,  he 
would  see  that  a  better  church  would  be  erected  in  place  of  the 
one  destroyed,  and  that  it  should  not  cost  the  local  church  a  cent. 
The  proposition  was  accepted  and  the  agreement  was  kept  to  the 
letter.  The  courageous  pastor  took  off  his  coat  and  went  to  work. 
He  became  architect,  boss  carpenter  and  day  laborer.  Through  the 
hot  summer  he  put  on  that  church  1 10  days  of  manual  toil,  besides 
soliciting  funds  far  and  near,  and  keeping  up  all  regular  church 
services  in  the  charge.    Funds  came  in  every  mail.    The  new  build- 


st.  john's  church  and  parsonage. 


ing  rose  like  magic  from  the  surrounding  ruins,  and  by  the  15th  of 
January,  1893  was  ready  for  dedication.  The  new  church  is  more 
beautiful  and  better  arranged  than  the  old  one.  It  has  a  main 
audience  room  28  by  48  feet  with  a  pulpit  recess  5  by  12  feet.  It 
has  a  Sunday  school  room  12  by  28  feet  connected  with  the  main 
room  by  sliding  doors,  a  pastor's  study  10  by  10  feet,  and  a  tower 
10  by  10  feet  and  46  feet  high.  The  church  is  seated  with  pews, 
newly  carpeted,  and  the  walls  nicely  papered,  save  in  the  main 
room,  where  the  ceiling  is  panelled  after  a  very  neat  design.  The 
total  cost  was  $3,050.  To  offset  this  cost  $1,000  came  from  the 
cyclone  Relief  Fund,  $1,400  from  churches  and  friends  at  distant 


GERMAN   SYNOD  OF   NEBRASKA.  181 

points,  $350  gathered  by  committees  of  the  young  people,  and  $300 
from  salvage  of  the  old  building.  With  the  completion  of  the  church 
new  life  was  infused  into  the  congregation,  and  both  pastor  and 
people  were  grateful  and  happy.  Rev.  Whitehill  deserves  great 
credit  for  his  courage  and  perservance  in  bringing  his  beloved 
church  out  of  the  gloomy  shadows,  and  placing  it  again  in  the  glor- 
ious sunshine  of  prosperity.  His  work  will  long  abide  as  a  mon- 
ument to  a  sturdy  faith  and  a  loyal  heart  and  hand  in  the  time  of 
need.  In  May,  1894,  he  resigned,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  B.  F. 
Pugh,  who  served  the  charge  faithfully  until  succeeded  by  Rev.  E. 
E.  Stauffer  in  July  of  1898.  After  the  resignation  of  this  brother, 
there  was  a  vacancy  with  an  occasional  supply  for  over  a  year. 
The  congregation  then  called  Rev.  C.  F.  Schultz  who  assumed 
charge  on  the  1st  of  April,  1904,  and  remained  pastor  until  July 
1st,  1905.  Rev.  A.  M.  Reitzel  accepted  a  call  in  December  and  on 
the  1st  of  January,  1906,  took  charge,  and  is  the  present  pastor. 
The  church  has  57  members,  and  reports  property  to  the  value  of 
$5,000.  It  is  still  a  mission  receiving  a  small  remittance  every 
year  from  the  Home  Board.  A  Missionary  Society  was  organized 
in  1889  which  continued  for  a  while  and  then  disbanded.  Later 
it  was  reorganized  and  at  present  is  a  helpful  factor  in  the  church. 


GERMAN   SYNOD    OF    NEBRASKA 
CHURCHES    IN   KANSAS. 

While  the  churches  connected  with  the  German  Synod  of  Ne- 
braska, (G.  S.)  are  mainly  in  Nebraska  a  number  are  located  in 
Kansas  as  follows:  Trinity  church,  in  Russell  county;  Immanuels, 
in  Barton  county;  Friedens,  in  Russell  county;  St.  Paul's  at  Dor- 
rance;  Imamnuels,  in  Russell  county;  one  at  Hanover;  one  at 
Home,  Kansas;  and  one  in  Marshall  county. 

HANOVER,  GERMAN  EV.  LUTHERAN. 

The  German  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Hanover,  Kansas  had  its 
organization  in  1874,  when  thirty-five  souls  incorporated  among 
themselves  a  congregation  and  proceeded  to  erect  a  small  brick 
church,  doing  this  before  it  had  called  a  pastor.  In  1882  under  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  P.  Groenmiller  the  church  was  enlarged  to  the 


182 


HANOVER,  GERMAN    EV.    LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 


dimensions  of  26  by  60  feet.  A  school  building  was  also  erected 
and  a  frame  parsonage  20  by  36.  The  cost  of  these  improvements, 
all  told,  was  $5,500.  At  present  the  congregation  has  about  75 
heads  of  families  and  200  communicant  members.  It  sustains  a 
parochial  school  with  an  enrollment  of  28.  While  the  congregation 
does  not  belong  to  any  synod,  by  the  provision  of  its  constitution  its 
pastor  must  belong  to  the  General  Synod.  It  never  received  any  aid 
from  the  Mission  Board.  The  pastors  have  been  as  follows:  P. 
Groenmiller,  1876-88;  J.  Bond,  1891;  C.  RumfT,  1892;  L.  Schab- 
inger,  1894;  .  .  .  Rudolph,  1896;  J.  Paetznick,  1896-1900;  K.  Kling- 
er,  1907. 


GERMAN    EV.    LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 


RUSSELL,  ST,  JOHN'S. 

Russell  county  as  well  as  its  county  seat,  Russell,  was  the  ob- 
jective point  of  many  German  settlers,  who  true  to  their  fatherland 
instincts,  were  not  satisfied  until  they  had  church  privileges  in  their 
own  tongue.  This  resulted  in  the  location  of  churches  in  Russell, 
in  Dorrance,  at  a  point  12  miles  south  of  Russell,  and  two  others 
south  of  Dorrance.     St.  John's  church  in  Russell  was  organized  on 


RUSSELL,  ST.  JOHNS. 


183 


the  10th  of  June,  1900,  by  Rev.  G.  F.  Muller.  The  following  charter 
members  were  enrolled:  Henry  Frier,  Alex.  Reinhardt,  Jacob 
Strecker,  Carl  Millberger,  Jacob  Deines,  Aug.  Reiff,  Andrew  Ruff, 
Henry  Strecker,  Jacob  Stenzel,  Herman  Luck,  with  their  families. 
After  worshipping  in  quarters  other  than  their  own  for  a  season, 
they  decided  at  a  congregational  meeting  held  on  the  4th  of  Novem- 
ber following,  to  erect  a  building  of  their  own.  Plans  were  soon 
adopted  for  a  frame  structure  30  by  50  feet  with  a  tower  12  by  12 
feet  and  80  feet  high,  and  an  altar  nave  12  by  18  feet.  Lots  locat- 
ed on  Main  street  just  north  of  the  court  house  were  purchased  at 
a  cost  of  $1,000,  and  ground  was  immediately  broken  for  a  church 
building.  The  structure  was  dedicated  on  Sunday  Rogate,  May  12, 
1901,  when  all  indebtedness  was  provided.  The  building  cost  $5,000. 


st.  john's  church  and  parsonage. 


It  is  seated  with  solid  oak  seats  and  lighted  with  incandescent  gas- 
oline lights.  A  beautiful  high  altar,  finished  in  white  enamel  and 
gold,  was  placed  in  the  nave  back  of  the  pulpit.  A  pulpit  in  sim- 
ilar finish  was  placed  to  one  side.  The  entire  interior  presents  a 
very  churchly  appearance,  in  harmony  with  Lutheran  ideas  of 
church  architecture.     The  congregation  has  a  membership  of  212 


184  DORRANCE  AND   HOME  CHURCHES. 

communicants  with  a  good  Sunday  school  of  115  enrolled.  The 
church  is  a  member  of  the  German  Synod  of  Nebraska.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1906,  the  congregation  decided  to  erect  a  parsonage  on  the  va- 
cant lots  adjoining  the  church.  The  plans  called  for  a  ten  room 
house  including  the  halls,  at  a  cost  of  $2,500,  which  was  completed 
by  Christmas  that  same  year.  It  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  nicest  resi- 
dences in  Russell.  The  pastors  were  as  follows:  Revs.  G.  F.  F. 
Muller,  organizer;  R.  P.  Schimmelpfennig,  1902-4;  A.  Mennenoeh, 
1904-6;  and  Paul  V.  Toerne,  1906,  who  is  the  present  pastor.  This 
church  is  connected  with  that  at  Dorrance  as  a  pastoral  charge.  It 
owns  a  four  acre  cemetery  located  just  east  of  Russell. 


DORRANCE,  GERMAN  EV.  LUTHERAN. 

The  German  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Dorrance  was  organized  in 
1904  by  ,  when  the  congregation  pur- 
chased a  small  house  and  lot  as  a  place  of  worship.  This  soon 
proving  too  small  and  inconvenient,  in  September,  1906,  the  con- 
gregation decided  to  erect  a  more  commodious  building.  Plans 
were  adopted  for  a  structure  24  by  40  feet,  to  cost  $2,000,  which 
was  finished  and  dedicated  on  the  9th  of  June,  1907,  Rev.  H.  L. 
Yarger,  D.  D.,  delivering  the  sermon,  when  all  moneys  needed  were 
raised  excepting  $300.  At  this  service  the  pastor  was  assisted  by 
Revs.  J.  Holzberger  and  H.  Lenser.  The  building  has  a  small 
tower  in  the  front  12  feet  square  and  sixty  feet  high.  As  yet  the 
congregation  is  not  connected  with  any  synod.  It  has  a  member- 
ship of  nineteen  families,  a  small  Sunday  school,  and  has  services 
once  a  month  by  the  pastor  who  serves  St.  John's  church  at  Russell. 


HOME,  KANSAS,  FRIEDENS. 

Among  the  churches  to  the  credit  of  Rev.  J.  G.  Groenmiller  as 
organizer,  is  that  of  the  Friedens  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Home, 
Kansas,  which  was  organized  in  August,  1885,  with  25  charter  mem- 
bers. Rev.  Groenmiller  was  followed  in  1886  by  Rev.  Chr.  Thorn- 
sen  (1886-1889)  and  during  the  latter's  pastorate  a  frame  church 
was  erected  28  by  45  at  a  cost  of  $2,500.  A  small  loan  was  made 
them  by  the  Board  of  Church  Extension.  The  church  is  free  from 
debt.  Later  a  neat  frame  parsonage  20  by  28  feet  was  erected  and 
paid  for.     The  church  is  German.       It  has  a  parochial  school  in 


HOME,  ST.  JOHN'S  AND   RUSSELL,  TRINITY.  185 

which  the  teaching  of  the  German  language  is  made  a  prominent 
feature  in  its  catechetical  instruction.  The  congregation  has  been 
served  by  Revs.  J.  G.  Groenmiller,  Chr.  Thomsen,  Fr.  W.  Kitzki, 
J.  Guteleben,  F.  W.  Steffens,  H.  W.  Fricke,  and  Rev.  J.  A.  Hansen. 
The  last  named  is  the  present  pastor.  The  charge  is  served  in  con- 
nection with  another  congregation  as  a  pastoral  charge.  The  church 
reports  45  members,  and  the  charge  property  valued  at  $5,000  with 
no  indebtedness. 


HOME  KANSAS,  ST,  JOHN'S. 

To  the  north  of  Home  City,  Marshall  county,  in  Balderson  town- 
ship, late  in  the  sixties  a  number  of  German  families  settled. 
Among  these  were  the  families  of  Mr.  P.  W.  C.  Hahn,  D.  Brums- 
back,  W.  Brumsback,  and  P.  Merklinghaus,  who  were  impressed 
with  the  need  of  a  church  in  which  the  Gospel  would  be  preached 
in  their  native  tongue.  Here  Rev.  Bathe  began  to  hold  services  re- 
sulting in  the  organization  of  St.  Johannes  church  in  1869  with 
eight  families.  For  a  number  of  years  they  worshipped  in  a  school 
house.  In  1883  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Barkmann  they  erect- 
ed a  frame  church  24  by  36  feet,  with  a  tower  10  by  10  feet,  cost- 
ing $1,200.  The  dedication  sermon  was  preached  by  the  pastor  and 
all  indebtedness  was  raised  on  the  day  of  dedication.  Later  a 
steeple  was  placed  upon  the  tower.  The  church  for  some  years 
was  independent  and  was  served  by  independent  pastors.  Under 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Fr.  W.  Kitzke,  about  1892-3,  it  became  a  part 
of  the  German  Synod  of  Nebraska.  It  has  been  served  by  Revs. 
Barkmann,  Guteleben,  Fr.  W.  Kitzke,  F.  W.  Steffen  1893-1903,  H. 
W.  Fricke,  1903-7,  and  J.  A.  Hansen  the  present  pastor  who  took 
charge  in  1907.  The  church  is  connected  with  Freidens  church  at 
Home  City,  as  a  pastoral  charge.  In  1869  the  church  laid  out  its 
own  cemetery  which  it  sustains  to  this  day. 


RUSSELL  COUNTY,  TRINITY. 

The  pioneer  work  in  laying  the  foundation  for  the  establishing 
of  a  German  church  in  the  southern  part  of  Russell  county  12  miles 
south  of  Russell,  was  done  by  Rev.  G.  F.  F.  Muller,  who  was  in- 
strumental in  doing  much  missionary  work  preparatory  to  establish- 
ing a  number  of  German  churches  in  Kansas.     The  church  was 


186  RUSSELL  COUNTY,   FRIEDENS. 

organized  in  October,  1900,  by  Rev.  E.  Pfeiffer  with  the  families 
of  the  following:  Mr.  Jacob  Meier,  Mr.  Geo.  Dietz,  Jacob  Blohm, 
Mr.  Jacob  Krug,  Mr.  Heinrich  Krug,  and  Mr.  George  Bender.  For 
a  season  the  congregation  worshipped  in  a  public  school  house. 
However  in  1902  and  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Weimken  plans 
were  adopted  for  the  erection  of  a  substantial  stone  church  28  by 
42  feet  and  at  a  cost  of  $1900.  During  the  same  year  a  house  was 
bought  for  the  pastor  and  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  two  rooms, 
which  is  also  constructed  of  stone,  and  cost  $600.  All  debt  on 
these  properties  has  been  liquidated.  The  church  has  a  parochial 
school  with  an  enrollment  of  twenty-four.  It  also  has  a  cemetery 
200  by  200  feet,  which  was  laid  out  in  1893.  For  a  time  this  con- 
gregation was  connected  with  Immanuel  church  at  Stickney,  Kan- 
sas as  a  pastoral  charge.  But  since  July,  1906  it  has  been  served 
separately  having  its  own  pastor.  The  pastors  have  been  as  fol- 
lows: Revs.  E.  Pfeiffer,  1900;  H.  Weimken;  C.  F.  Duecker,  1903; 
and  since  June,  1906,  Rev.  J.  Holzberger.  The  church  is  connected 
with  the  German  Synod  of  Nebraska  and  has  property  valued  at 
$2,500  with  no  indebtedness. 


RUSSELL  COUNTY,  FRIEDENS. 

The  pioneer  work  in  the  establishing  of  Frieden's  church, 
(Church  of  Peace)  located  in  the  southern  part  of  Russell  county, 
was  done  by  Rev.  B.  R.  Huhn,  of  the  German  Iowa  Synod.  This 
soon  resulted  in  the  organization  of  a  congregation  in  1904  with 
twelve  families.  Rev.  Huhn  set  himself  to  the  task  of  erecting  a 
building  at  once.  Plans  were  adopted  for  a  structure  24  by  40  feet, 
of  wood,  which  when  completed  cost  $1,400,  all  of  which  was  paid 
by  the  congregation.  The  lot  on  which  the  church  stands  was  do- 
nated by  Mr.  John  Jacob  Michaelis.  The  church  at  present  has  a 
small  parochial  school  with  an  enrollment  of  sixteen.  Rev.  Hahn 
served  the  church  during  1904-5;  Rev.  C.  F.  Duecker,  German 
Synod  of  Nebraska,  1905-6;  Rev.  Herman  L.  Lenser,  the  present 
pastor  took  charge  in  April,  1906.  The  pastor  resides  at  Hoising- 
ton,  Kansas.  The  church  is  enrolled  in  the  parochial  tables  of  the 
German  Synod  of  Nebraska,  and  is  served  in  connection  with  Im- 
manuels  in  Barton  county,  as  a  pastoral  charge.  The  church  owns 
a  cemetery  located  by  the  side  of  the  church. 


STICKNEY,    IMMANUELS — DUBUQUE,    IMMANUELS.  187 

STICKNEY,  BARTON  COUNTY,  IMMANUEL'S. 

Rev.  G.  F.  F.  Muller,  while  he  was  pastor  at  Russell  began  hold- 
ing services  in  the  small  inland  town  of  Stickney,  Barton  county, 
in  1898.  In  a  short  time  he  organized  a  congregation  known  as 
ImmanuePs  church,  with  nineteen  families.  He  was  followed  as 
pastor  by  Rev.  H.  Wiemken  in  1899  who  remained  till  1900.  In 
April  that  year  Rev.  R.  Schimmelpfennig  took  charge.  During  his 
pastorate  plans  were  adopted  for  the  erection  of  a  wooden  church 
26  by  40  feet,  which  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $1,800  and  dedicat- 
ed free  from  debt.  The  lots  for  the  church  were  the  gift  of  Mr. 
Philip  Schneider.  The  church  owns  a  parsonage  18  by  28  feet, 
frame,  which  cost  $700.  It  has  a  parochial  school  at  present  with 
an  enrollment  of  forty,  and  also  maintains  a  Sunday  school.  The 
pastors  have  been  as  follows:  Rev.  G.  F.  F.  Muller,  1898-9;  Rev. 
H.  Wiemken,  1899-1900;  Rev.  R.  Schimmelpfennig,  1900-1;  Rev. 
E.  Pfieffer  1901-3;  Rev.  C.  F.  Duecker,  1904-6,  Rev.  H.  L.  Lenser, 
1906.  The  congregation  owns  a  cemetery  located  near  the  church. 
The  church  is  served  in  connection  with  the  Frieden's  church  in 
Russell  county,  as  a  pastoral  charge.  It  is  enrolled  in  the  German 
Synod  of  Nebraska. 


DUBUQUE,  IMMANUEL'S. 

Just  north  of  the  southern  border  line  of  Russell  county  a  colony 
of  Germans  settled  in  the  seventies.  Among  these  Rev.  R.  Erdt- 
mann  began  preaching  as  early  as  1879.  On  the  19th  of  October 
that  year  he  organized  ImmanuePs  church  at  the  small  inland  town 
of  Dubuque.  The  charter  members  consisted  of  Messrs  Robert 
Janne,  George  Kastorf,  August  Kluesener,  Hermann  Lucemann, 
Heinrich  Knabke,  Hermann  Kluesener,  Eduard  Rahenkampf,  Chris- 
tian Hilgenberg,  George  Ansehutz  and  George  Buhler  and  their 
families.  The  first  trustees  were  August  Kluesener,  Christian  An- 
sohnictz  and  Dietrick  Knabke.  At  first  services  were  held  in  the 
homes  of  the  members.  Shortly  afterward  and  during  the  pastor- 
ate of  Rev.  Erdtmann  ground  was  obtained  for  a  church  and  a 
cemetery.  Plans  were  adopted  for  a  structure  23  by  43  feet,  of 
stone,  and  with  a  wooden  tower,  which  was  completed  and  dedicat- 
ed. The  building  cost  all  told  $2,000  and  is  without  debt.  In  Nov- 
ember, 1900  the  congregation  built  a  parsonage  28  by  30  feet, 
frame,  and  at  a  cost  of  $1,200.     This  was  all  paid  for  when  com- 


188 


EMPORIA,  ST.  MARK'S  CHANCEL. 


pleted.  The  congregation  has  a  parochial  school  with  an  enroll- 
ment of  30  and  a  Sunday  school  with  a  similar  enrollment.  The 
cemetery  is  located  opposite  the  church.  The  pastors  have  been 
as  follows:  Revs.  R.  Erdtmann,  1883-93;  Bracuhahn,  1893-6;  H. 
Westphal,  1896;  John  Kleinhaus,  1896-1901;  C.  A.  Mennenoh, 
1901-4;  Carl  Martin,  1904-7;  Friedrich  Kasten,  1907.  For  some 
time  the  church  was  independent  served  by  independent  and  Mis- 
souri Synod  pastors.  In  1901  it  came  within  the  influence  of  the 
German  Synod  of  Nebraska  in  which  it  is  at  present  enrolled. 
It  has  104  communicant  members  and  property  valued  at  $2,675. 


CHANCEL  OF  ST.  MARK'S  CHURCH    EMPORIA,  REV.  G.  G.  CLARK,  PASTOR. 
DEDICATED  AUGUST  25,    1907.      SEE   PAGE  76. 


BARNES,   MESSIAH    CHURCH.  189 

CHURCHES  ORGANIZED   AND   ADMIT- 
TED INTO  KANSAS  SYNOD— 

Now  No  Longer  Existing,  or  Dismissed  To  Other 

Synods. 

Barnes,  Messiah — In  1878  Rev.  Jacob  Schauer  emigrated  from 
Ohio  to  Greenleaf,  where  he  purchased  a  farm  and  immediately 
began  mission  work  in  Washington  county  preaching  in  the  school 
houses  in  that  neighborhood.  On  the  3d  of  August,  1879,  he  or- 
ganized the  Messiah  church  at  Barnes  in  the  school  house.  He  serv- 
ed this  congregation  in  connection  with  one  at  Waterville,  and  the 
same  fall  reported  the  new  church  to  the  Synod  when  it  was  en- 
rolled having  with  the  church  at  Waterville  a  combined  membership 
of  37.  Wishing  to  build  a  church  at  Barnes  he  asked  the  synod  to 
recommend  his  church  to  the  Church  Extension  Board  for  a  loan 
of  $200.  With  this  encouragement  he  began  to  prepare  for  build- 
ing a  church.  As  the  place  was  new  and  the  crops  poor  this  was 
a  large  undertaking.  The  building  was  dedicated  on  the  19th  of 
February,  1882.  The  day  was  noted  for  its  bitter  cold  and  blustery 
weather.  There  were  present  Revs.  J.  Schauer,  D.  Harbaugh  and 
Henry  Heigard.  The  building  was  a  comfortable  frame  structure 
24  by  36  feet,  and  cost  $1,100,  and  was  the  first  church  in  the  town 
or  neighborhood.  All  indebtedness  was  provided  for  excepting 
$141.  After  the  organization  of  the  Greenleaf  church  this  congre- 
gation was  united  with  the  latter  as  a  pastoral  charge.  In  this 
church  one  of  the  earliest  Woman's  Missionary  Societies  was  or- 
ganized by  Mrs.  Schauer,  (1885). 

In  January,  1886,  Rev.  Schauer  resigned  and  was  followed  by  the 
following  pastors:  Rev.  M.  F.  Rinker,  1887;  Rev.  E.  S.  Rees,  1889- 
90;  Rev.  H.  Zimmerman,  1893-4;  Rev.  J.  N.  Lentz,  1895;  Rev.  D. 
H.  Cramer,  1898;  Rev.  G.  W.  Livers,  1900;  B.  F.  Kistler,  1903; 
since  that  time  Rev.  R.  Richter  preached  a  few  times.  Only  a  few 
famlies  remain  there  and  the  building  has  been  allowed  to  run 
down  and  decay.  A  wind  storm  blew  off  a  part  of  the  tower  which 
was  never  repaired.  Only  seventeen  members  were  reported  in  its 
last  synodical  report.  From  the  first  the  church  was  on  the  funds 
of  the  Mission  Board. 


190  THE  LEAVENWORTH    MISSION. 

Leavenworth,  First  English  Lutheran  Church. — That  we  do  not 
have  a  church  to-day  in  the  splendid  city  of  Leavenworth,  with  its 
20,000  population,  after  spending  years  of  hard  labor  and  not  a 
little  money,  is  without  doubt  the  result  of  blunders  on  the  part 
of  pastors,  congregation  and  boards.  The  first  Lutheran  church 
in  Leavenworth,  in  fact  the  first  Lutheran  church  in  Kansas,  was 
erected  by  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  as  related  in  the  pioneer  portion  of 
this  history.  The  organization  took  place  in  August,  1855.  The 
pastor  sold  shares  in  the  building  which  entitled  the  holders  to  a 
vote  in  the  management.  With  the  proceeds  he  erected  at  once  a 
wooden  building  30  by  50  feet.  Here  the  congregation  worshipped 
for  the  space  of  two  years.  The  lot  was  donated  by  the  secretary 
of  the  Town  Site  Association.  A  deed  could  not  be  given  at  once 
owing  to  the  fact  that  two  years  must  pass  before  the  government 
would  issue  it.  In  the  meantime  the  town  needed  lots  for  a  school 
site,  and  as  by  that  time  other  denominations  were  demanding  the 
donation  of  lots,  the  Town  Site  Association  refused  to  issue  the 
necessary  deed  and  the  lot  was  given  to  the  town  for  a  school  site. 
Those  holding  shares  or  stock  in  the  building  sold  them  to  the 
Land  Commissioner  and  the  church  in  spite  of  all  efforts  to  the 
contrary  was  robbed  of  its  home.  After  the  removal  from  Leaven- 
worth of  Rev.  McAfee,  the  congregation  was  served  by  Rev.  A. 
Reuter,  a  pioneer  from  the  Pittsburgh  Synod,  who  was  probably 
the  third  Lutheran  minister  to  come  to  Kansas.  He  gave  up  the 
charge  in  1860,  and  the  little  band  became  discouraged  and  soon 
disbanded.  Thus  perished  our  first  attempt  to  found  a  church  in 
Kansas,  and  with  it  the  first  Lutheran  church  building  likewise 
passes  out  of  existence  as  such,  becoming  a  school  building. 

During  the  period  of  the  expansion  of  Kansas  Synod  under  the 
activity  of  Missionary  Presidents  Harrington  and  Dornblaser,  Lea- 
venworth was  considered  as  a  ripe  place  for  the  founding  of  a  mis- 
sion, but  one  requiring  considerable  outlay  in  its  establishment. 
Several  canvasses  were  made  by  various  ministers,  all  coming  to 
the  same  conclusion  as  to  the  ripness  of  the  field.  The  Synod 
through  its  officers  and  Advisory  Board  strongly  presented  the 
claims  of  Leavenworth  to  the  Boards  of  Home  Missions  and  Church 
Extension.  Secretaries  Barnitz  and  Lenker  visited  the  field  as  well 
as  President  Sparr  of  Kansas  Synod.  Finally  on  the  1st  of  Jan- 
uary, 1889,  an  organization  was  effected  with  24  members  and  a 
Sunday  school  planted  with  fifty  members.  Rev.  S.  B.  Hymen  was 
chosen  pastor,  but  resigned  within  six  months.  After  this  the 
young  church  was  supplied  more  or  less,  still  actively  maintaining 


THE  LEAVENWORTH    MISSION.  191 

its  Sunday  school  in  a  rented  hall.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  it 
was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod.  On  November  1,  Rev.  C.  A. 
Eyler  was  called  as  pastor,  and  commissioned  by  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Board,  and  served  the  church  till  April  1,  1891.  On  December 
1,  the  same  year  the  Board  commissioned  Rev.  S.  C.  Chatham  who 
had  been  called  as  pastor  by  the  congregation.  Soon  after  a  well 
located  lot  was  purchased  for  $2,500,  the  Board  of  Church  Ex- 
tension paying  $1,000,  the  congregation  $500,  and  the  remainder 
was  covered  by  a  mortgage.  Before  plans  could  be  carried  out 
Rev.  Chatham  resigned,  December  1,  1893,  although  he  continued 
to  supply  the  congregation  for  several  months  thereafter.  In  the 
choice  of  a  successor  there  seemed  to  be  a  difference  of  opinion 
between  the  western  representatives  of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions 
and  the  Board  of  Church  Extension.  Rev.  J.  N.  Lenker  of  the  lat- 
ter Board  strongly  recommended  Rev.  J.  W.  Kimmel,  as  a  capable 
man  to  erect  a  church  at  Leavenworth  owing  to  his  extensive  ex- 
perience in  church  building.  Without  ascertaining  whether  this 
selection  was  agreeable  to  the  Board  of  Home  Missions  who  would 
have  to  pay  a  part  of  the  salary,  the  congregation  invited  Rev.  Kim- 
mel to  spend  a  few  Sundays  with  them,  and  he  was  unanimously 
elected  pastor.  The  Home  Mission  Board  did  not  concur  in  the 
choice  because  of  some  trouble  they  had  in  former  missions  with 
Rev.  Kimmel,  and  refused  to  commission  him.  This  refusal  was 
resented  by  some  pastors  in  the  West  and  under  this  pressure  the 
Board  finally  yielded,  granting  the  commission  for  one  year.  The 
new  pastor  at  once  set  himself  to  the  task  of  erecting  a  building 
with  his  old-time  enthusiasm.  To  begin  he  had  a  debt  of  $1,000 
on  the  lot  and  a  small  congregation  of  about  thirty  souls,  nearly  all 
of  small  means.  Plans  were  adopted  for  the  erection  of  a  beauti- 
ful Gothic  brick  structure  with  stone  trimmings,  to  cost  including 
furnishings,  $10,000.  The  contracts  were  let,  the  pastor  and  secre- 
tary signing  the  same,  assuming,  as  pastor  Kimmel  declares,  all 
responsibility  for  the  debt,  with  but  $1,000  subscribed.  It  was  a 
very  small  nucleus,  to  say  the  least,  with  which  to  erect  a  $10,000 
church,  and  evidenced  great  faith  on  the  part  of  the  builders.  Be- 
fore the  building  was  completed  the  lack  of  money  made  the  situa- 
tion very  embarrassing.  It  was  then  apparent  that  they  had  great- 
ly over-reached  themselves.  Dissatisfaction  arose  in  the  congre- 
gation. Some  advocated  the  boarding  up  of  the  windows  for  the  win- 
ter and  selling  the  property.  The  pastor  advocated  the  completing 
of  the  structure  and  furnishing  it  and  then  selling  it  if  that  had  to 
be  done.    The  little  band  was  appalled  at  the  tremendous  task  im- 


192 


THE      STARCH       CHURCH,    LEAVENWORTH. 


posed  upon  them.  They  felt  they  would  have  to  give  it  up  before 
they  had  a  chance  to  worship  in  their  new  home.  The  pastor,  more 
hopeful,  then  proposed  to  raise  money  by  selling  a  starch  which 
seems  to  have  been  invented  by  Rev.  Chatham.  The  church  papers 
as  well  as  the  Missionary  Journal  were  soon  flooded  with  notices 
of  this  starch  proposition.  Kansas  Synod  at  its  fall  convention  in 
1884,  resolved,  "That  the  members  of  Synod  be  requested  to  try 
to  induce  their  grocers  to  sell  'Silver  Shield  Starch,'  and  thus  as- 
sist the  Leavenworth  mission."  The  boards  of  the  church  protest- 
ed against  building  on  such  terms,  but  no  attention  was  paid  to 
their  protests.  Endorsed  by  the  local  synod,  and  by  many  leading 
pastors  and  educators,  the  pastor  bravely  put  his  shoulders  to  the 
task  of  raising  nine  or  ten  thousand  dollars  by  selling  starch.  The 
Mission  became  known  all  over  the  church,  as  the  "Starch  Church." 
Church  loving  house-wives  in  our  church  demanded  of  their  groc- 
ers Silver  Shield  Starch,  while  the  pastor  incessantly  travelled, 
selling  starch.  Although  his  sales  were  large  his  expenses  were 
great  and  after  a  fair  trial  it  was  found  the  starch  enterprise  did 


k  *  m 


THE   "STARCH"    CHURCH. 


THE  "MATCH"  PROPOSITION,   LEAVENWORTH.  193 

not  bring  in  much  money  to  the  church.  By  the  1st  of  January 
the  building  was  completed  and  about  furnished,  but  there  was  no 
money  to  pay  for  the  same.  Mechanics  liens  were  already  filed  on 
the  building  in  the  sum  of  $4,000.  The  Church  Council  was  thor- 
oughly discouraged.  They  were  in  favor  of  giving  it  up.  On  the 
other  hand  the  courageous  pastor  believed  he  could  pull  it  through. 
A  motion  was  made  in  the  Church  Council  that  no  more  money  be 
paid  for  bills  against  the  church.  This  meeting  was  suddenly  term- 
inated by  the  pastor  blowing  out  the  lamp.  On  the  following  Sun- 
day the  first  service  was  held  in  the  church  with  but  one  member 
of  the  Council  present.  It  was  indeed  a  dark  day  for  the  pastor. 
Division  in  his  congregation  greatly  weakened  his  cause.  The 
shadows  were  growing  thick  and  fast  on  every  hand.  With  but  a 
small  band  of  helpers  back  of  him  pastor  Kimmel  faced  conditions 
which  would  appall  the  ordinary  man. 

A  proposition  from  a  match  factory  in  Pennsylvania  to  furnish 
pastor  Kimmel  with  matches  for  sale,  the  profits  to  go  to  the 
church,  was  accepted.  Calling  the  creditors  together  he  asked 
them  to  stay  the  execution  of  their  liens  and  he  would  pay  them 
off  by  selling  matches,  making  a  ten  per  cent  payment  every  month. 
Knowing  the  foreclosing  and  a  sheriff  sale  would  result  in  great 
loss  to  themselves,  they  accepted  his  proposition.  Then  was  in- 
augurated a  battle  against  fearful  odds  such  as  has  rarely  been 
witnessed,  where  one  man,  like  Atlas  of  old,  placed  upon  his 
shoulders  a  world  of  burden.  A  picture  of  the  church  was  printed 
on  each  box  of  matches  and  a  car-load  was  shipped  to  Leavenworth, 
with  $225  freight  charges  on  it  and  no  money  in  hand  to  pay  it. 
The  pastor  called  on  the  president  of  a  local  bank,  stated  his  plan, 
borrowed  the  necessary  money,  and  in  two  days  sold  $300  worth 
of  matches.  Then  over  the  state  from  town  to  town  with  indefa- 
tigable energy  went  this  hopeful  man  selling  matches,  carrying  the 
burden  alone,  and  turning  the  profits,  often  amounting  to  $200  a 
month,  over  to  his  wife,  who  was  his  treasurer,  and  who  in  turn 
meted  them  out  in  small  dribs  to  the  clamorous  creditors. 

Finally  money  enough  was  borrowed  from  the  Phoenix  Loan  Co., 
of  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  to  liquidate  the  bills,  and  the  pastor  undertook 
by  the  sale  of  matches  to  meet  the  monthly  dues  of  this  company. 
In  the  mean  time  the  commission  of  the  pastor  had  expired,  and 
both  the  Home  Misison  Board  and  the  Church  Extension  Board 
had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  a  divided  Council  and  Congrega- 
tion, an  almost  hopeless  debt,  and  the  use  of  methods  for  raising 
money,  not  in  keeping  with  their  advice  and  which  necessarily  in- 


194  ABANDONED   BY  THE   MISSION    BOARDS. 

terferred  with  the  preaching  of  the  Word  and  the  spiritual  minister- 
ing to  the  congregation,  required  a  different  pastor.  Twice  the  pro- 
position was  made  to  the  congregation  that  if  they  would  take  an- 
other pastor,  the  Boards  would  help  them  out  of  their  troubles.  A 
congregational  meeting  was  called  and  the  pastor  was  sustained  by 
a  vote  of  17  to  12.  The  Home  Mission  Board  declined  to  re-com- 
mission the  pastor  and  he  decided  to  proceed  alone.  The  match 
business  was  pushed  for  all  it  was  worth.  With  tireless  energy 
he  went  up  and  down  the  land  travelling  thousands  of  miles  selling 
matches,  often  travelling  by  night  to  sell  matches  by  day,  truly, 
"in  weariness  and  painfulness,"  but  with  a  grim  determination, 
characteristic  of  the  man,  which  would  not  brook  defeat.  It  was 
also  a  struggle  for  bread.  His  property  was  consumed  in  the  effort. 
For  four  years  he  kept  up  this  strain,  preaching  as  best  he  could, 
editing  his  paper,  "The  Lutheran  Era,"  with  no  relaxation.  He  had 
signed  the  notes  and  contract  and  felt  he  must  pay.  No  one  can 
tell  the  sacrifices  necessary  to  be  made  to  pay  the  $6,000  which  he 
did  on  the  debt  of  that  church.  But  the  strain  was  too  much  for 
him.  Nature  rebelled  from  the  over-work  and  before  the  fourth 
year  was  over  he  was  a  physical  wreck.  The  congregation  gave 
him  a  mortgage  on  the  furnishing  of  the  church  which  was  not 
covered  by  the  first  mortgage,  for  unpaid  salary.  He  resigned  on 
the  first  of  May,  1899.  The  parting  was  affecting,  the  pitiful  condi- 
tion of  the  pastor,  appealing  through  tears,  to  every  one.  Thus 
ended  one  of  the  most  spectacular  efforts  to  build  a  church  within 
the  annals  of  our  church  history. 

Rev.  A.  F.  Dressel,  a  student  from  the  Western  Theological  Sem- 
inary, was  called  as  a  supply  soon  after,  and  in  June,  1900,  became 
pastor,  serving  the  church  faithfully  until  July,  1901,  having  been 
commissioned  missionary  by  the  Home  Mission  Board.  Later  Mr. 
Roy  Badger  and  other  Seminary  students  supplied  the  church  ir- 
regularly. 

About  the  time  Rev.  Dressel  took  charge,  the  Phoenix  Loan  Co., 
from  whom  the  money  had  been  borrowed,  failed,  and  all  their 
assets  in  Kansas  were  placed  in  the  hands  of  an  assignee.  Re- 
peated attempts  were  made  by  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  to 
buy  the  church  property  from  this  assignee,  but  the  reply  always 
was  that  it  could  not  be  sold  until  the  Federal  Court  had  so  order- 
ed. Without  any  notice  to  any  one  interested,  all  the  assets  of  the 
Company  were  sold  to  a  company  in  Chicago  dealing  in  such  prop- 
erties, and  they  disposed  of  the  church  before  the  congregation  or 
boards  knew  it  was  in  their  hands. 


RANDOLPH,  FONTANELLE,  OSBORN   AND   ENTERPRISE.  195 

In  1905  the  building  was  purchased  by  a  Christian  Science  so- 
ciety and  is  being  used  by  them  for  services.  The  congregation  has 
not  disbanded,  and  to  this  day  its  faithful  missionary  society,  con- 
tinued all  through  its  years  of  trial  and  trouble,  meets  as  a  mis- 
sionary society,  and  lives  in  the  hope  of  a  church  of  its  faith  yet 
being  founded  permanently  in  that  city. 

It  has  been  a  sad  task  for  the  historian  to  tell  this  lamentable 
tale.  We  have  tried  to  give  it  faithfully  from  both  standpoints. 
We  have  no  judgment  to  render  but  will  leave  that  to  the  reader. 
That  this  story  has  its  lessons  no  one  will  deny  and  doubtless  it 
will  be  of  value  in  future  missionary  enterprises. 

Randolph,  Riley  County,  Swedish  Lutheran. — The  Swedish  Luth- 
eran church  of  Randolph,  Riley  county,  Rev.  C.  Hawkins  pastor, 
was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  in  the  fall  of  1870.  It  withdrew 
in  1873  to  unite  with  the  Augustana  Synod. 

Fontanelle,  Nebraska,  German  Lutheran. — While  being  served  by 
Rev.  A.  G.  B.  Buetow,  in  1870,  the  German  Lutheran  church  of 
Fontanelle,  Nebraska,  was  placed  on  the  roll  of  Kansas  Synod.  One 
year  later  both  pastor  and  congregation  were  dismissed  to  the  new 
Synod  of  Nebraska. 

Osborn,  Osborn  County,  Ev.  Lutheran. — This  church  was  organ- 
ized in  1873  and  was  admitted  into  Synod  in  1874,  but  owing  to 
inability  to  connect  it  with  another  church  as  a  pastoral  charge  it 
could  not  support  a  pastor  and  soon  lapsed. 

Enterprise,  Dickinson  County,  Ev.  Lutheran. — This  church  was 
organized  by  Rev.  F.  R.  Scherer  in  January,  1876,  with  twenty-two 
members  in  a  country  school  house.  It  never  had  a  church  build- 
ing and  later  was  merged  into  a  Swedish  Lutheran  church  connect- 
ed with  Augustana  Synod. 

Wichita,  St.  Paul's— To  tell  the  story  of  the  attempt  to  establish  a 
church  in  Wichita  is  to  tell  the  story  also  of  the  great  boom  in  real 
estate  values  which  swept  like  an  ungovernable  prairie  fire  over  the 
state  of  Kansas,  and  when  the  collapse  came  it  carried  down  with  it 
many  churches  as  well  as  commercial  institutions.  The  eyes  of  the 
Synod  had  been  upon  Wichita  prior  to  1887  for  some  time  as  a  point 
where  by  all  means  a  church  should  be  planted.  Field  Secretary 
Lenker  wrote  in  the  Missionary  Journal  for  May,  1886:  "This  city 
(Wichita)  is  growing  beyond  all  expectations,  even  of  its  most 
sanguine  friends.     We  ought  to  establish  a  mission  in  it  at  once. 


196  THE   GREAT   BOOM   IN   WICHITA. 

It  is  destined  to  be  a  city  of  50,000  to  80,000  people,  full  of  public 
spirit,  full  of  Lutherans."  The  President  of  Synod,  Rev.  M.  F. 
Troxell,  in  his  report  (1886)  said  that  persistent  efforts  had  been 
made  to  organize  in  Wichita  and  urges  the  Synod  to  take  steps  at 
once  to  enter  that  city.  The  president  was  directed  to  visit  Wichita 
with  other  brethren  and  make  an  effort  to  organize. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1887,  Revs.  F.  D.  Altman  and  H.  B.  Belmer, 
inaugurated  a  canvass  of  the  city  extending  through  several  days, 
preaching  on  the  following  Sunday  in  the  Garfield  opera  house. 
On  Monday  they  were  joined  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Cromer,  then  president 
of  Synod.  On  Monday  evening  the  organization  of  St.  Paul's 
church  was  effected,  with  twenty  charter  members.  These  brethren 
worked  hard  early  and  late  first  to  get  members  and  then  to  get 
subscriptions  for  the  purchase  of  lots  and  the  erection  of  a  building. 
A  fine  corner  lot,  70  by  140  feet,  was  purchased  at  a  cost  of  $13,000 
and  this  liability  was  assumed  by  two  laymen,  Messrs  Blackwelder 
and  Eicholtz,  each  subscribing  $6,500,  deeding  the  lot  to  the  trus- 
tees and  giving  their  notes  in  payment  for  it. 

Messrs  Blackwelder  and  Jack  were  elected  elders,  Miller,  Cress, 
Zeininger  and  Yoe,  deacons;  and  Eicholtz,  Blackwelder  and  Dick- 
son, trustees.  At  the  same  time  a  subscription  of  $3,250  was  rais- 
ed toward  the  erection  of  a  church.  Following  up  the  great  victor- 
ies which  they  had  gained  so  far,  though  largely  only  on  paper,  the 
congregation  voted  unanimously  to  extend  a  call  to  Rev.  W.  H. 
Singley,  D.  D.  The  church  papers  contained  fulsom  accounts  of 
the  vast  promise  of  Wichita. 

However  Dr.  Singley  did  not  see  it  as  did  the  friends  who  gave 
him  the  call.  He  saw  that  the  people  were  going  wild  with  specu- 
lation. A  church  lot  costing  $13,000  in  a  prairie  town  in  central 
Kansas,  was  certainly  estimated  at  a  fancy  price,  and  it  was  "paid 
for,"  as  the  Observer  correspondent  stated,  but  with  the  subscrip- 
tions of  two  men  who  were  so  loaded  with  boomed  real  estate 
bought  at  fancy  prices,  that  should  a  collapse  come,  they  would 
be  utterly  swamped  with  financial  obligations  which  they  could 
never  meet.  Dr.  Singley  declined  the  call.  Later  came  the  collapse. 
Everything  was  swept  away  as  if  by  a  cyclone.  The  two  men  who 
donated  the  lot  could  not  pay  for  it,  one  of  them  becoming  abso- 
lutely penniless.  The  building  subscriptions  likewise  largely  be- 
came worthless.  All  this  had  been  done  exclusive  of  the  General 
Boards  of  the  church.  Still  the  Synod  was  anxious  to  go  into  Wich- 
ita to  plant  a  church,  and  pressed  its  claims  upon  the  Home  Board. 
In  August,  1889,  Rev.  W.  L.  Sealrook  was  commissioned  mission- 


THE   WICHITA   MISSION.  197 

ary  and  at  once  went  to  Wichita  and  began  to  canvass  the  city  for 
members,  at  the  same  time  hunting  up  the  fragments  of  the  other 
organization  which  had  been  allowed  to  disintegrate.  On  the  6th 
of  November  he  organized  "The  First  English  Ev.  Lutheran  church 
of  Wichita,"  with  38  members,  adopting  the  constitution  of  the 
Home  Board,  and  electing  three  elders  and  three  deacons.  This 
church  was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  in  1890.  He  continued 
his  work  until  December  1,  1890  when  the  mission  reported  63 
communicants  and  a  Sunday  school  of  58  members,  and  no  prop- 
erty or  debt. 

In  April,  1891,  Rev.  J.  A.  Lowe  took  charge  of  the  mission,  which 
as  yet  had  no  assets  save  its  membership,  faith,  and  a  fairly  good 
Sunday  school,  all  worshipping  in  rented  quarters.  In  February, 
1892,  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  loaned  them  $2,000  and  to 
this  the  congregation  added  $2,800,  a  third  of  which  was  raised 
mostly  from  outside  the  city.  A  lot  with  50  feet  front  on  Topeka 
avenue,  two  blocks  north  of  Douglas  street,  containing  a  five  room 
house,  was  purchased  for  $1,875.  The  house  was  removed  and 
plans  adopted  for  a  church  building.  Almost  the  very  day  when 
the  contract  was  to  be  closed  the  great  financial  crash  of  1892-3 
swept  over  the  entire  country,  making  it  impossible  to  collect 
money.  The  contract  signing  was  delayed.  In  the  meantime  they 
waited,  putting  their  money  in  what  they  supposed  to  be  the  safest 
bank  in  the  city.  The  bank  collapsed  but  later  paid  about  40c  on 
the  dollar.  Following  this  the  treasurer  of  the  church  used  the 
money  rescued  from  the  bank  in  his  private  business  and  failed. 
Some  of  this  money  was  afterwards  paid  in  way  of  taxes  and  street 
improvements.  The  Board  finally  recovered  $164  which  was  con- 
sumed for  taxes,  and  street  improvements.  In  September,  1893, 
Rev.  Lowe  became  so  discouraged  that  he  resigned  the  field.  The 
financial  crash  had  involved  everybody  there.  The  members  who 
had  any  property  had  it  so  heavily  mortgaged  from  the  days  of  the 
boom  that  they  had  all  they  could  do  to  save  it  from  the  Nemesis 
which  had  swept  over  their  city.  During  the  last  year  the  mission 
paid  but  $115  toward  the  pastor's  salary  and  $97  toward  current 
expenses,  while  the  mission  board  paid  $500.  The  conviction  grew 
on  pastor  Lowe  that  he  ought  not  to  take  any  more  money  from 
the  Board  for  what  he  felt  was  a  hopeless  cause.  He  had  himself 
been  making  heroic  sacrifices  for  the  cause  which  in  so  expensive 
a  city  he  could  not  maintain.  Dr.  Barnitz  alludes  to  this  in  a  re- 
port quoted  in  Dr.  Parson's  "Life  of  Dr.  Barnitz,"  "The  Mission- 
ary is  making  great  sacrifices.     The   family   are  evidently  doing 


198  OBERLIN,   TRINITY. 

without  many  things  on  the  table  and  in  the  way  of  clothing  to 
make  ends  meet  and  keep  up  the  work  and  their  own  reputation 
for  honesty." 

The  mission  was  dropped  by  the  Home  Board,  and  all  properties 
were  turned  over  to  the  Church  Extension  Board  who  sold  the  lots. 
The  last  report  to  Synod  submitted  by  Rev.  Lowe  indicated  24 
communicants,  30  Sunday  school  scholars,  property  valued  at 
$2,500,  and  $2,000  indebtedness  (B.  C.  E.)  The  failure  can  be 
attributed  more  to  adverse  circumstances,  the  fickleness  of  the 
fancy  prices  at  which  properties  sold,  and  the  creation  of  condi- 
tions impossible  for  a  little  band  of  workers  to  overcome.  This 
great  boom  has  its  lessons,  and  of  its  depressing  effect,  hindering 
all  kinds  of  church  work,  this  example  of  Wichita  is  only  one  of 
many  and  among  all  denominations. 

Oberlin,  Trinity  .—Trinity  Lutheran  Church  of  Oberlin  was  or- 
ganized in  1887  with  ten  charter  members,  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Kimmel, 
appointed  "Missionary  of  the  Republican  Valley."  It  was  admitted 
into  Kansas  Synod  in  October  the  same  year.  A  building  was  erect- 
ed 28  by  40  with  a  tower  and  belfrey.  A  loan  of  $300  was  granted 
the  church  and  the  chapel  was  dedicated  in  the  fall  of  1887,  Rev. 
S.  B.  Barnitz,  Western  Secretary,  preaching  the  sermon.  This  con- 
gregation passed  through  many  trials  and  discouragements  owing 
to  removals  and  inability  to  secure  a  pastor.  After  the  removal  of 
Rev.  Kimmel  in  December,  1888,  it  was  served  a  short  time  by  Rev. 
C.  W.  Maggart  as  supply.  For  a  couple  years  Rev.  J.  B.  Umberger 
was  pastor,  in  1889-90.  Then  it  was  vacant  for  a  number  of  years. 
Dr.  Yarger  in  the  Missionary  Journal  for  September,  1898,  says, 
"This  place  has  not  had  a  pastor  for  ten  years  or  more;  in  fact,  it 
never  had  a  regular  pastor  for  more  than  six  months  in  its  history." 

In  1890  the  Church  Extension  Board  came  to  the  rescue  and 
granted  another  loan  in  the  sum  of  $500,  to  save  the  property. 
The  struggle,  notwithstanding,  was  too  great  and  it  was  finally 
given  up.  The  church  never  had  more  than  20  members.  Three 
years  after  the  completion  of  its  building  the  membership  through 
removals  dwindled  down  to  five.  In  1891  six  were  reported.  The 
The  few  families  that  were  left  went  to  the  Presbyterians.  The 
property  was  reported  as  valued  at  $2,200.  For  a  number  of  years 
it  was  rented  to  the  Baptists  and  finally  sold  to  them,  the  proceeds 
going  to  the  Board  of  Church  Extension.  The  Hon.  A.  T.  C.  Geiger, 
who  comes  from  a  loyal  Lutheran  family  in  Iowa,  made  a  brave 
struggle  to  establish  this  church.     The  writer  of  this  history  furn- 


BANNER  CITY  AND  OSAWKEE  CHURCHES.  199 

ished  the  bell  that  went  in  the  tower  while  he  was  pastor  in  Ohio. 
All  told  the  chapter  is  a  sad  one,  and  we  cannot  tell  who  is  respon- 
sible for  its  failure. 

Banner  City,  Mt.  Zion.— Early  in  1876,  Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington, 
then  President  of  Kansas  Synod,  conducted  preaching  services  at 
the  "Seidel"  school  house  five  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Hope  and 
near  Dillon.  Here  in  the  spring  of  the  same  year  he  organized  the 
"Mt.  Zion  Ev.  Lutheran  church"  with  eighteen  charter  members, 
and  in  his  report  to  the  synod  described  the  outlook  as  "very  hope- 
ful." It  was  received  into  the  Synod  that  fall.  The  congregation 
was  served  for  several  years  by  its  founder.  In  1879  it  received 
aid  from  the  mission  board,  but  never  succeeded  in  getting  out  of 
its  school  house  environment.  Later  it  was  served  by  Rev.  B.  F. 
Hills,  who  re-organized  it  and  moved  it  to  Banner  City  where  four 
lots  were  donated  by  the  town  site  company  and  services  were 
held  also  in  a  school  house.  It  was  connected  with  the  Ebenezer 
church  as  a  pastoral  charge.  In  1887  Rev.  Hills  made  the  attempt 
to  raise  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  church  securing  all  told  about 
$1,600  in  subscriptions.  The  building  was  to  have  been  placed  on 
four  fine  lots  purchased  by  the  Board  of  Church  Extension.  How- 
ever owing  to  a  series  of  drouths  and  removals  to  other  parts  the 
enterprise  was  abandoned.  It  was  connected  for  a  time  with  St. 
Paul's  church  a  few  miles  to  the  southwest,  also  a  school  house 
church.  In  1891  St.  James  church  south  of  Abilene  was  added  to 
the  charge  for  two  years.  In  1893  Rev.  Hills  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  H.  A.  Koogle,  who  served  it  until  1898.  It  was  without  a 
pastor  until  1900  when  Rev.  J.  F.  Petticrew  took  charge  remain- 
ing but  six  months.  The  many  removals  from  the  charge  almost 
destroyed  the  church,  and  in  1901  it  had  but  two  families  remain- 
ing, and  having  no  building  the  work  was  discontinued  and  the 
church  dropped  from  the  roll  of  the  Synod. 

Osawkee,  Jefferson  County,  St.  John's.— This  church,  of  which 
we  have  but  little  account,  was  probably  organized  by  Rev.  David 
Earhart  in  a  school  house  on  Grasshopper  creek,  eight  miles  south 
of  Valley  Falls,  the  date  of  which  antedated  the  organization  of 
Kansas  Synod.  It  was  served  in  1863-9  by  Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington 
and  later  by  Rev.  G.  A.  Exline.  It  was  also  supplied  by  Rev.  S.  N. 
St.  John,  while  he  was  pastor  at  Valley  Falls.  Later  it  grew  so 
weak  from  removals  that  it  was  finally  dropped  from  the  synodical 
roll. 


200  STRANGER  CREEK  AND  KANAPOLIS  CHURCHES. 

Stranger  Creek,  Atchison  County,  Christ's. — After  preaching  for 
a  considerable  length  of  time  in  a  school  house  on  Stranger  creek 
in  Atchison  county,  Rev.  David  Earhart,  in  1870,  organized  a  church 
known  as  Christ's  Ev.  Lutheran  church.  It  was  the  last  church 
organized  in  Kansas  by  this  pioneer  worker.  In  1872  it  applied 
for  membership  in  Kansas  Synod  but  was  not  admitted  owing  to 
its  constiution  not  being  so  framed  as  to  bind  it  to  the  General 
Synod.  This  was  corrected  and  in  1874  it  was  formally  admitted. 
In  July  the  same  year  Rev.  Earhart  resigned  and  removed  to  Penn- 
sylvania. During  1875-6  the  church  was  irregularly  supplied  with 
preaching.  In  the  winter  of  1876-7  the  school  house  in  which  they 
met  burned  down.  In  1877  it  was  united  with  Monrovia  as  a  pas- 
toral charge.  Later  owing  to  two  feuds  which  arose  among  the 
members  it  disintegrated  and  finally  disbanded. 

Kanopolis,  Trinity. — While  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger  was  preaching  at 
Ellsworth  in  the  summer  of  1886,  he  began  to  hold  services  at  the 
new  town  of  Kanopolis  four  miles  to  the  east.  In  his  report  to  the 
Mission  Board  soon  after  he  wrote,  "I  hope  soon  to  go  to  Kanopolis 

every  two  weeks.    We  hope  to  get  a  church  there  soon 

The  Lutheran  church  has  an  awful  responsibility  in  the  western 
country,  greater  than  can  well  be  conceived."  In  this  hope  he  was 
successful,  organizing  with  thirty-two  charter  members  that  winter, 
although  we  cannot  find  the  date.  In  the  spring  of  1887  he  began 
to  raise  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  church.  The  lots  had  already 
been  secured  from  the  Kanopolis  Land  Company.  The  cornerstone 
was  laid  on  the  1st  of  May,  Revs.  M.  F.  Troxell,  and  G.  D.  Got- 
wald  assisting  in  the  ceremony,  and  on  the  3d  of  July  following, 
the  chapel  was  dedicated,  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz  preaching  the  sermon 
from  the  text,  Neh.  10:39.  The  church  received  $100  from  the 
Church  Extension  Board,  half  loan  and  half  donation,  and  was  able 
to  dedicate  free  from  debt.  The  building  cost  furnished  $1,200 
frame,  28  by  38  feet,  with  a  pulpit  recess  and  a  tower  entrance  8 
by  8  feet.  It  was  the  first  church  built  in  the  town.  In  the  fall  of 
1887  it  was  received  into  Kansas  Synod,  the  application  for  this 
being  signed  by  the  pastor,  H.  S.  Ehrenfeld,  S.  Eighinger,  J.  M. 
Hawkins,  August  Feirstel,  and  Mrs.  Ellen  Buffington.  This  church 
was  served  in  connection  with  Ellsworth,  and  received  aid  from 
the  Home  Mission  Board  for  a  number  of  years.  In  due  time  its 
church  extension  loan  was  returned.  Fcr  its  succession  of  pastors 
see  the  account  of  the  Ellsworth  church.  In  later  years,  with  the 
collapse  of  the  salt  industries  of  that  section,  and  the  removal  of 


ELLSWORTH,  ST.  PAULAS  CHURCH.  201 

so  many  members,  it  became  necessary  to  discontinue  services. 
The  property  was  sold  to  the  Presbyterians  in  1898  and  the  pro- 
ceeds were  used  to  help  erect  the  Lutheran  church  at  Excelsior. 

Ellsworth,  St.  Paul's. — The  earliest  preaching  services  of  a  Luth- 
eran character  in  Ellsworth  county  were  held  by  Rev.  Levi  Stern- 
berg, D.  D.,  of  Ft.  Harker,  and  in  a  rude  "dug-out"  with  common 
board  slabs  for  seats.  In  1878  Rev.  A.  Essick  located  at  Ft.  Harker 
(Kanopolis)  about  six  miles  east  of  Ellsworth.  He  held  services 
in  the  school  house  at  Ellsworth  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  S.  P. 
Harrington.  An  organization  was  effected  sometime  in  1878,  and 
Rev.  Essick  writes  in  the  Lutheran  Observer  saying  that  "Mr.  J.  G. 
Schmucker  is  a  member  of  my  church."  (This  brother  had  taken 
part  in  the  organization  of  Kansas  Synod  ten  years  previous,  rep- 
resenting the  Lawrence  church.)  The  organization  began  with 
22  members,  and  was  duly  admitted  into  Synod.  Rev.  Essick  was 
followed  by  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser,  in  1879,  who  had  been  commis- 
sioned by  the  Home  Board  as  missionary  and  who  served  the  con- 
gregation in  connection  with  his  duties  as  Travelling  Missionary.) 
The  church  was  pastorless  in  1880-1.  In  April,  1882,  Rev.  John 
A.  Bright  accepted  a  call  to  the  pastorate  then  composed  of  Ells- 
worth, Lincoln  Center,  the  county  seat  of  Lincoln  county,  Pleasant 
Valley  school  house  five  miles  south  of  Lincoln  Center,  State  Center 
and  Whaley  school  house,  four  preaching  points,  the  Home  Board 
continuing  mission  aid.  It  is  related  that  during  one  of  Rev. 
Bright's  itinerant  journeys  when  he  arrived  at  Wolf  creek  he  found 
it  so  swollen  from  rains  that  he  could  not  ford  it,  while  his  congre- 
gation was  on  the  other  side.  He  invited  them  to  bring  their  wagon 
seats  down  to  the  bank  of  the  creek  and  be  seated  and  he  would 
preach  for  them  "across  the  waters."  Backing  his  own  rig  down 
to  the  brink  and  improvising  a  pulpit,  he  let  his  strong  clear  voice 
ring  out,  sending  across  to  the  other  side  his  gospel  message.  It 
was  indeed  a  most  unique  service  in  which  the  preacher's  usual 
hand-shake  had  to  be  omitted.  Rev.  Bright  resigned  the  Ellsworth 
church  in  February,  1884,  continuing,  however,  to  supply  the 
preaching  points  at  Lincoln  Center  and  Pleasant  Valley.  During 
1884-5  the  church  was  vacant,  suffering  all  the  consequences  of 
a  shepherdless  flock,  and  through  a  series  of  short  crops  and 
drouths  which  caused  many  to  remove  from  the  place.  During 
this  period  the  church  was  occasionally  supplied  by  Rev.  A.  B. 
Kirtland  and  others,  but  so  thoroughly  discouraged  were  they  that 
they  sold  their  church  lots  and  practically  quit. 


202 


RE-ORGANIZATION    AT    ELLSWORTH. 


In  April,  1886,  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger,  visited  Ellsworth,  canvassed 
the  town  and  gave  such  a  glowing  picture  of  the  bright  prospects 
there,  that  the  Home  Board  commissioned  him  as  missionary  in 
August  following.  On  the  5th  of  September  the  church  was  re- 
organized under  the  name  of  St.  Paul's  Ev.  Lutheran  church,  and 
at  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  that  same  fall  it  was  re-admitted.  In 
the  following  year  through  the  influence  of  a  gift  of  fifty  dollars 
from  a  friend  a  lot  was  secured  for  $110  and  paid  for  and  plans 
made  for  the  erection  of  a  church.  The  cornerstone  was  laid  on 
the  10th  of  June,  1888,  the  service  being  held  in  the  Baptist  church, 
Rev.  M.  F.  Troxell  preaching  the  sermon.  The  building  was  dedi- 
cated on  the  17th  of  February,  when  the  pastor  was  assisted  by 
Revs.  G.  D.  Gotwald  and  T.  F.  Dornblaser.  Although  the  day  was 
cold  and  a  deep  snow  lay  on  the  ground  a  large  audience  assem- 


st.  paul's  church,  Ellsworth. 

bled.  During  the  day  $575  was  raised  and  later  the  balance  of  the 
debt  amounting  to  $175  was  secured.  The  Extension  Society  loan- 
ed them  $400  and  donated  $220.  The  cost  of  the  structure  com- 
plete was  $3,300.  It  consisted  of  a  frame  building  30  by  56  feet, 
with  a  corner  tower  12  feet  square,  and  a  pulpit  recess  8  by  14  feet. 
It  was  seated  with  250  chairs  and  lighted  with  an  oil  chandelier. 
Rev.  Yarger  served  this  church,  and  one  at  Kanopolis  and  Excel- 
sior, and  the  two  preaching  points  in  Lincoln  county,  until  April, 


WHITE  ROCK,  KANSAS  AND   HARDY,   NEBRASKA.  203 

1889.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  W.  Kribbs,  who  after  a  year 
was  followed  by  Rev.  E.  S.  Rees,  who  also  remained  but  a  year. 
Rev.  E.  B.  Killinger  served  the  church  for  six  months  in  1892,  and 
Rev.  E.  E.  Schantz  supplied  for  a  few  months  in  1893.  For  the 
next  eight  years  the  church  was  pastorless  suffering  the  usual  dis- 
integration of  a  church  without  a  shepherd.  In  March,  1901,  the 
few  remaining  members  met  and  instructed  the  trustees  to  deed 
the  property  to  the  Board  of  Church  Extension,  and  then  disbanded. 
This  was  a  sore  trial  to  some  of  those  faithful  pastors  who  served 
it  in  success  and  prosperity  in  its  earlier  days.  At  no  time  did  the 
church  report  more  than  42  members.  In  1886  a  Home  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  was  organized  and  which  continued  until  1892. 
In  the  summer  of  1901  the  building  was  sold  to  the  Synod  of  N. 
America  by  the  B.  C.  E. 

White  Rock,  Ev.  Lutheran,  Hardy,  Nebr.—On  the  28th  of  May, 
1872,  Rev.  G.  Walker,  after  preaching  in  a  school  house  at  White 
Rock  for  some  time,  organized  the  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  White 
Rock.  The  town  was  located  in  the  N.  E.  part  of  Republic  county 
where  a  large  colony  of  Scandinavians  had  settled.  It  was  admit- 
ted into  Kansas  Synod  the  same  fall.  During  1873  the  charge  was 
pastorless,  and  during  1874  it  was  served  jointly  with  the  Osborn 
congregation  by  Rev.  J.  K.  Ekman  which  service  continued  until 
1876.  For  the  following  four  years  the  charge  was  without  a  pas- 
tor because  of  inability  to  support  one.  During  the  winter  of  1879- 
1880,  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser,  travelling  missionary  held  a  series 
of  meetings  there  resulting  in  30  additions.  On  Easter  day,  1880, 
Rev.  J.  A.  Lowe  was  secured  as  pastor  through  the  efforts  of  Mr. 
A.  Lowe,  who  at  a  previous  meeting  of  Synod,  when  Rev.  Lowe 
was  ordained,  laid  hands  on  him  and  said,  "We  want  you  to  be  our 
minister."  In  the  following  spring  after  he  had  fulfilled  his  en- 
gagement as  a  teacher,  Rev.  Lowe  took  charge  on  the  humble  sal- 
ary of  $300  a  year.  The  Mission  Board  declined  to  grant  help  and 
the  young  pastor  was  obliged  to  bear  the  burden  alone.  The  salary 
was  so  scant  and  living  expenses  so  large  that  ends  could  be  met 
only  with  the  most  rigid  economy.  No  matter  where  the  Synod 
met  if  Rev.  Lowe  was  there  it  was  because  he  came  overland  in  his 
buggy  for  he  had  no  means  with  which  to  pay  his  fare.  He  began 
with  one  preaching  point  at  White  Rock,  but  to  this  he  soon  added 
five  others  in  the  surrounding  school  houses.  In  the  following  year 
he  added  churches  at  Republic  City  and  Hardy,  Neb.,  still  preach- 
ing at  several  school  houses  in  the  country.     In  1880  White  Rock 


204      REPUBLIC   CITY,  NUCKOLLS  AND  STATE  CENTER  CHURCHES. 

was  a  booming  town  feeling  confident  that  it  would  get  the  new 
railroad  which  was  building  north  through  Scandia,  but  the  road 
finally  passed  through  Republic  City,  and  the  new  Burlington  and 
Missouri  River  line  went  through  Hardy,  leaving  White  Rock 
stranded,  and  in  a  short  time  it  was  a  deserted  place,  with  the 
prairie  grass  again  growing  where  once  was  a  promising  town. 
When  the  town  of  Hardy  was  laid  out  Rev.  Lowe,  out  of  his  meagre 
salary  of  $300  paid  $50  for  a  lot  for  a  new  church.  Here  he  or- 
ganized "Union"  Ev.  Lutheran  church.  The  church  at  White  Rock 
naturally  perished  and  the  members  who  lived  to  the  north  and  east 
united  with  the  church  at  Hardy,  or  that  at  Republic  City,  or  the 
Jewell  church. 

Republic  City,  Ev.  Lutheran. — The  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Re- 
public City  was  organized  in  1881  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Lowe  at  the  time 
the  new  branch  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railroad  was  pushing  north- 
ward up  into  Nebraska  through  the  Republican  valley.  The  preach- 
ing was  held  in  a  school  house,  but  the  congregation  was  never 
able  to  secure  either  a  lot  or  a  building.  The  church  was  admitted 
into  Kansas  Synod  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  it  was  organized, 
upon  the  condition  that  it  adopt  the  constitution  recommended  by 
Kansas  Synod.  No  record  exists  that  this  was  ever  complied  with. 
The  church  continued  for  a  time  connected  with  Hardy  but  finally 
went  to  pieces. 

Nuckolls  county,  Nebr.,  Bethel. — Rev.  J.  E.  Maurer,  while  pastor 
at  Hardy,  Neb.,  began  preaching  at  the  Weimer  school  house  locat- 
ed five  miles  north  of  Hardy,  in  May,  1888,  and  on  January  12th 
the  following  year  organized  a  church  of  ten  charter  members 
among  whom  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  R.  Weimer,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Peter  A.  Weimer,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  B.  Phillippi.  This  church 
was  admitted  into  Synod  the  same  fall  as  the  "Nuckolls  county  Ev. 
Lutheran  church."  During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  E.  Maurer  it 
was  served  in  connection  with  the  Hardy  pastorate.  Later  owing 
to  removals,  and  the  absence  of  a  church  building,  the  congrega- 
tion disintegrated  and  finally  was  dropped  from  the  roll  of  Synod, 
in  1894. 

State  Center,  Barton  county,  Ev.  Lutheran. — Organized  by  Trav- 
elling Missionary  T.  F.  Dornblaser,  May  18,  1879,  and  was  admit- 
ted into  Kansas  Synod  that  fall.  Never  had  a  regular  pastor  and 
failed.  It  was  a  school  house  church,  located  in  the  northeast  part 
of  the  county. 


HALSTEAD,  PRIDE,  LONE   TREE,   PARDEE  AND  CROOKED   CREEK.   205 

Hcdstead,  Harvey  county,  Ev.  Lutheran. — Organized  by  Travel- 
ling Missionary  T.  F.  Dornblaser,  December  29,  1878,  and  admitted 
into  Kansas  Synod  in  1879,  and  served  for  a  season  by  Rev.  D.  H. 
Randall.  It  never  had  a  regular  pastor  and  continued  for  a  few 
years  as  a  school  house  church.  It  was  dropped  from  the  synod- 
ical  roll  in  1886. 

Pride,  Barton,  county,  Ev.  Lutheran. — Organized  in  the  home  of 
James  Welty  by  Travelling  Missionary  Rev.  T.  F.  Dornblaser,  June 
15th,  1879,  in  the  midsf  of  a  colony  of  Lutherans,  with  20  mem- 
bers. Admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  same  year,  never  had  a  perm- 
anent pastor  and  failed.    It  was  a  school  house  church. 

Lone  Tree,  Ellsworth  county,  Ev.  Lutheran. — This  church  was  or- 
ganized by  Synodical  Missionary  T.  F.  Dornblaser  while  residing 
on  his  farm  near  Ellsworth,  June  29th,  1879,  and  assisted  by  Rev. 
A.  Essick.  It  has  been  a  preaching  point.  It  was  served  by  Rev. 
J.  A.  Bright  in  1882-3-4.  There  is  no  record  that  it  was  ever  ad- 
mitted into  Synod.     It  likely  perished  from  long  vacancy. 

Pardee,  Atchison  county,  English  Lutheran. — After  preaching  for 
several  months  in  the  Campbellite  church  at  Pardee,  located  seven 
miles  southeast  of  Monrovia,  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee  organized  an  Eng- 
lish Ev.  Lutheran  church,  in  June,  1858,  which  he  served  in  con- 
nection with  Monrovia  and  Grasshopper  Falls  until  the  fall  of  1861 
and  without  compensation.  At  one  time  he  refused  the  gift  of 
fifty  dollars  which  the  members  had  collected  for  him  feeling  that 
their  pastor  was  worthy  of  compensation  «fter  his  long  trips  over 
the  prairie  to  bring  them  the  gospel.  After  he  resigned  preaching 
was  held  now  and  then  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Ellinger  and  later  by  Rev.  S. 
P.  Harrington,  but  the  congregation  which  was  small  soon  scat- 
tered and  finally  ceased  to  exist  long  before  Kansas  Synod  was  or- 
ganized in  1868. 

Crooked  Creek,  Jefferson  county,  Ev.  Lutheran. — While  preach- 
ing at  Pardee  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee  also  opened  a  preaching  point  at 
the  Lillie  and  the  Hall  school  houses  on  Crooked  creek  in  Jeffer- 
son county.  Here  he  organized  a  Lutheran  church,  serving  the 
congregation  with  preaching  every  two  weeks,  alternating  in  the 
two  school  houses  which  were  located  two  miles  apart.  After  he 
resigned  in  the  fall  of  1861  to  enter  the  Federal  army  the  congre- 
gation soon  went  to  pieces. 

Delight,  Lincoln  county,  Ev.  Lutheran. — This  congregation  was 
organized  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Harpster  on  the    27th  of  July,  1879  in  the 


206  LINCOLN   CENTER  AND   MONROVIA  CHURCHES. 

home  of  Wm.  Stover.  It  was  known  also  as  the  Madison  church. 
It  was  admitted  the  same  year.  It  was  a  school  house  church.  It 
never  materialized. 

Lincoln  Center,  Lincoln  county,  Ev.  Lutheran. — This  church  was 
organized  September  27th,  1880  by  Travelling  Missionary  T.  F. 
Dornblaser,  who  served  it  off  and  on  while  residing  on  his  farm 
near  Ellsworth.  The  church  contained  a  number  of  very  substan- 
tial families  among  whom  were,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cyrus  Stover,  Mrs. 
J.  D.  Miller,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judge  Artman,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wycoff. 
The  church  was  formally  admitted  into  Synod  the  same  year.  It 
was  served  from  1882  to  1884  by  Rev.  John  A.  Bright.  After  a  va- 
cancy of  three  years  Rev.  H.  L.  Yarger  took  charge,  who  reorgan- 
ized the  church,  and  at  which  time  a  lot  was  bought  for  $250  and 
deeded  to  the  Board  of  Church  Extension.  A  building  was  never 
erected,  services  being  held  in  the  school  house.  In  the  spring  of 
1887  Prof.  O.  G.  Klinger  of  Salina  re-organized  the  church,  but 
soon  leaving  the  interest  lagged,  and  the  work  finally  ceased. 

Monrovia,  English  Ev.  Lutheran. — During  the  early  part  of  1855, 
Mr.  S.  J.  H.  Snyder  an  ardent  Lutheran  and  anti-slavery  sympath- 
izer who  had  emigrated  from  Wells  county,  Indiana,  and  Mr.  John 
Helwig,  another  settler  of  similar  inclinations  though  not  so  out- 
spoken, who  had  come  from  Canal  Dover,  Ohio,  considered  at  var- 
ious times  how  they  might  obtain  preaching  in  their  community. 
During  the  winter  of  1857  they  heard  of  a  Lutheran  minister  living 
at  Leavenworth,  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  whom  they  tried  to  get,  but  in 
vain.  They  had  preaching  several  times  in  1856-7  by  a  Methodist 
preacher  by  the  name  of  Knox  and  later  by  a  noted  character  known 
as  "Pardee  Butler,"  a  Campbellite  minister.  However  it  was  not 
until  the  latter  part  of  1858  that  they  secured  Rev.  McAfee,  who 
at  that  time  was  preaching  at  Grasshopper  Falls.  The  latter  or- 
ganized the  Monrovia  Lutheran  church  on  the  16th  of  January, 
1858,  and  thereafter  preached  every  two  weeks  for  them.  The 
charter  members  consisted  of  S.  J.  H.  Snyder  and  wife,  and  daugh- 
ter, John  Helwig  and  wife,  J.  H.  Talbot  and  wife,  Mother  Hippie 
and  her  son  Samuel  Hippie,  and  some  little  time  later  a  Mr.  Kirk- 
patric  and  wife,  a  Mr.  Winklepeck  and  wife,  Father  Brown  and  wife 
and  Benj.  Wallack  and  wife,  were  added  to  the  original  number. 
Mr.  Snyder  was  chosen  an  elder  and  Mr.  Helwig  a  deacon.  The 
organization  was  of  a  simple  character  with  no  particular  refer- 
ence to  the  confession  of  the  Lutheran  church.  The  first  commun- 
ion service  was  held  on  the  18th  of  January,  1860,  when,  accord- 


THE   MONROVIA   CHURCH.  207 

ing  to  Mr.  Snyder's  "Private  Journals,"  "The  members  all  partook 
of  the  Holy  Sacrament  with  the  pastor,  and  it  was  a  blessed  season, 
and  the  spectators  looked  upon  the  solemn  scene  with  reverence 
and  awe.    Blessed  be  our  God." 

Rev.  McAfee  served  this  church  in  connection  with  that  at  Pardee 
and  at  Crooked  Creek  until  early  in  the  fall  of  1860.  Then  noting 
in  the  "Lutheran  Observer"  the  arrival  of  Rev.  David  Earhart  at 
Sumner,  Atchison  county,  he  wrote  him  inviting  him  to  take  charge 
of  the  pastorate,  which  he  did,  as  the  move  met  the  approval  of 
the  congregations.  Finding  the  churches  quite  loosely  organized 
with  no  adherence  to  any  creed,  he  re-organized  them  under  a  con- 
stitution which  recognized  the  Augsburg  Confession,  thus  making 
them  Lutheran  churches  not  only  in  name  but  in  belief.  In  the 
fall  of  that  year  Rev.  D.  S.  Altman  arrived  from  Illinois  to  assist 
the  pastor  in  a  series  of  gospel  meetings.  The  result  was  a  grac- 
ious revival  in  which  thirty-seven  united  with  the  church,  thus 
greatly  strengthening  them.  At  this  time  Rev.  Earhart  was  serv- 
ing several  other  churches  in  distant  counties,  and  the  work  was 
too  hard  for  one  man.  Correspondence  was  entered  into  with  the 
Home  Mission  Society,  which  resulted  in  the  Monrovia  church  be- 
ing placed  on  the  funds  of  that  society  which  sent  them  a  mission- 
ary in  the  person  of  Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington  who  took  charge  on  the 
17th  day  of  June,  1864.  The  new  pastor  set  himself  at  once  to  the 
task  of  erecting  a  church.  At  a  congregational  meeting  held  on 
the  1st  of  July  that  year  a  resolution  was  passed  deciding  at  once 
in  favor  of  erecting  a  church  building.  A  subscription  was  taken 
and  labor  and  materials  volunteered  and  the  enterprise  started  with 
quite  a  favorable  outlook.  Not  long  afterward  the  work  was  in- 
terrupted in  a  manner  and  from  a  source  unlooked  for.  About  this 
time  the  dread  rumor  had  reached  Kansas  that  General  Price  with 
40,000  confederate  troops  was  marching  toward  Kansas  and  would 
likely  invade  it.  The  state  militia  was  called  out  and  many  men 
in  the  Eastern  part  were  impressed  into  service,  and  among  these 
was  Rev.  Harrington.  Both  Rev.  McAfee  and  Rev.  Harrington 
were  among  the  Union  forces.  A  series  of  skirmishes  and  battles 
took  place.  Rev.  McAfee  relates  that  the  first  time  he  saw  Rev. 
Harrington  was  when  the  latter  was  flying  at  the  top  of  his  speed, 
without  gun,  or  hat,  and  his  horse  bleeding  profusely  at  the  nose, 
having  been  shot  in  the  skirmish.  It  was  quite  a  novel  meeting  of 
two  ministers  who  were  to  labor  for  so  long  a  time  thereafter  in 
the  spread  of  Lutheranism  in  Kansas,  the  one  as  a  pastor  and  mis- 
sionary, and  the  other  as  a  business  man,  fortunate  in  his  invest- 


208  THE    MONROVIA   CHURCH. 

ments,  and  thus  able  and  willing  to  lend  the  efficient  financial  help 
without  which  missionary  operations  in  a  new  state  are  impossible. 
The  repulse  of  the  Confederates  removed  the  martial  law  which 
had  been  declared  in  the  state,  and  the  impressed  pastor  was  per- 
mitted to  return  to  his  charge.  The  new  church  was  completed  in 
the  following  spring  and  arrangements  were  made  for  its  dedica- 
tion at  a  meeting  of  a  Lutheran  Conference  composed  of  Lutheran 
ministers  in  Kansas,  Nebraska  and  Missouri  to  be  held  on  Sunday, 
May  28th,  1865.  This  was  the  first  Conference  of  Lutheran  min- 
isters west  of  the  Missouri  river.  Rev.  H.  W.  Kuhns  of  Omaha 
preached  the  sermon.  In  the  "Lutheran  Observer"  under  the  date 
of  July  7,  1865,  Rev.  Harrington  writes,  "We  needed  $300  on  the 
day  of  dedication."  Among  those  present  at  this  dedication  was 
Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  the  first  pastor  of  the  Monrovia  church.  He 
had  just  returned  from  a  long  eight-day  trip  by  the  overland  stage 
coach  from  Topeka  to  Lamed,  where  he  had  married  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jesse  Crane.  The  doughty  Colonel  handed  the  minister  $30  for 
his  expenses,  $87  for  his  stage  ticket,  and  $50  for  his  fee.  That 
$50  fee  was  laid  on  the  plate  at  the  Monrovia  dedication,  and  with 
other  offerings  enabled  the  mission  to  dedicate  free  from  debt. 
The  pews  of  the  church  were  made  from  black  walnut  which  had 
been  hauled  from  the  Kaw  valley  above  Lawrence.  At  this  writing 
these  pews  are  still  doing  good  service  in  the  Effingham  church. 
The  ministers,  after  the  dedication,  organized  the  first  conference 
held  on  Kansas  soil  in  this  church  the  following  days  of  which  the 
report  says,  "The  interests  of  the  church  were  discussed  and  I 
hope  with  good  results.  It  was  truly  a  solemn  meeting.  This 
closes  my  first  year's  labor  in  Kansas.  God  bless  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society." 

Rev.  Harrington  resigned  in  1869  and  was  followed  in  1870  by 
Rev.  M.  G.  Boyer,  and  he  in  turn  in  1873  by  Rev.  S.  N.  St.  John. 
Rev.  D.  Harbaugh  was  in  charge  in  1874,  when  at  a  joint  meet- 
ing of  the  charges  at  Monrovia,  Grasshopper  Falls,  and  Christ's 
church  on  Stranger  creek,  a  school  house  church  three  miles  east 
and  a  little  south  of  where  Farmington  now  stands,  a  church  which 
had  been  organized  in  September,  1860,  by  Rev.  D.  Earhart,  the 
three  were  united  into  a  pastoral  charge.  Rev.  W.  I.  Cutter  became 
pastor  in  1877,  remaining  until  1881.  From  this  time  on  until  the 
church  was  organized  at  Effingham  in  1887  they  had  no  pastor. 
Much  of  the  membership  moved  away  and  the  remainder  became 
greatly  discouraged.  The  synodical  minutes  of  1883  states,  "Val- 
ley Falls  and  Monrovia  are  still  vacant  and  the  membership  is  dis- 


THE   PORTLAND  AND   PLEASANT   VALLEY   CHURCHES.  209 

banding  and  uniting  with  other  churches."  A  few  of  the  members 
united  with  the  church  organized  at  Effingham  in  1889.  The  old 
building  was  sold  to  a  son  of  Mr.  S.  J.  H.  Snyder  and  transformed 
into  a  barn,  and  the  pews  and  pulpit  furniture  donated  to  the  Effing- 
ham church. 

Trinity  Church,  Portland,  {Sumner  Co.) — In  the  Spring  of  1887, 
Rev.  J.  G.  M.  Hursh  came  to  Sumner  county  as  a  missionary  in  the 
Southwest.  Finding  a  number  of  Lutheran  families  in  Walton 
township  he  began  preaching  for  them  in  a  school  house.  A  can- 
vass of  that  section  revealed  the  presence  of  forty-seven  confirmed 
Lutherans.  A  meeting  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  church  was 
held  in  the  Baptist  church  of  Portland  on  the  22nd  of  June.  Thirty- 
three  members  signfied  their  willingness  to  enter  an  organization. 
A  constitution  was  adopted  naming  the  church  "The  Trinity  Ev. 
Lutheran  church  of  Portland."  Officers  were  elected  and  arrange- 
ments made  for  holding  regular  services  with  Rev.  Hursh  as  pastor. 
At  this  meeting  eleven  children  were  baptized,  this  feature  reveal- 
ing the  fact  that  the  means  of  grace  had  been  wanting  in  that  com- 
munity for  some  time.  On  the  29th  of  October  application  was 
made  for  membership  in  Kansas  Synod  signed  by  James  Janson, 
S.  Krout,  Eckard  Peters,  and  A.  Wolf,  elders  and  deacons  of  the 
new  congregation.  It  was  duly  received  and  enrolled.  The  church 
was  served  in  connection  with  that  at  Perth  until  after  this  con- 
vention of  Synod  when  the  pastor  decided  to  give  all  his  time  to 
the  work  at  Wellington.  Rev.  E.  E.  Schantz  who  had  just  been 
licensed  was  called  to  Portland  as  pastor.  His  pastorate  was  very 
short.  While  there  he  attempted  to  develop  a  field  at  Augusta, 
Butler  county,  residing  at  that  point,  but  the  movement  failed. 
After  a  pastorate  of  six  months  he  resigned.  Rev.  A.  H.  Burk  tak- 
ing charge  of  Perth  spent  six  months  at  Portland,  during  which 
time  he  made  an  effort  to  build  a  church  there  raising  a  subscrip- 
tion of  $500  for  the  same.  Owing  to  the  long  distance  from  Perth 
to  Portland,  (eighteen  miles),  and  other  obstacles,  the  movement 
failed.  Members  moved  away,  and  having  neither  preaching  nor 
building,  the  movement  languished,  and  finally  about  fifteen  years 
ago,  the  point  was  abandoned. 

Pleasant  Valley,  lion's. — A  couple  hours  ride  northeast  of  Chap- 
man brings  the  traveller  to  a  beautiful  stretch  of  country  known 
as  Pleasant  Valley.  In  this  section  preaching  services  had  been 
held  in  school  houses  for  some  time  conducted  by  various  brethren. 
The  field  was  reported  to  Travelling  Missionary  T.  F.  Dornblaser, 


210     THE  WASHINGTON,  PONTIAC  AND  LOST  SPRINGS  CHURCHES. 

who  in  1880  visited  the  place,  held  services,  and  finally  on  the  29th 
of  February,  1880,  organized  the  Pleasant  Valley  Zion's  Ev.  Luth- 
eran church  with  twenty-three  charter  members.  The  services  took 
place  in  the  Pleasant  Valley  School  House  hence  the  name  of  the 
church.  It  was  received  into  Kansas  Synod  at  its  next  convention, 
and  before  the  close  of  the  year  it  had  reported  35  members.  It 
was  attached  to  the  Ebenezer  charge  in  June,  1881,  and  Rev.  B.  F. 
Grenoble  became  its  first  regular  pastor.  He  was  followed  in 
December,  1884,  by  Rev.  N.  A.  Whitman.  In  the  summer  of  1886 
the  charge  was  enlarged  by  the  organization  of  a  third  congrega- 
tion at  Keystone,  a  point  still  further  northwest  from  Chapman  and 
where  the  pastor  resided.  In  1888  it  was  united  with  St.  Paul's  of 
Manchester  as  a  charge.  Rev.  Whitman  was  succeeded  in  1889 
by  Rev.  Jonas  Freet,  and  in  1891  it  became  pastorless,  and  con- 
tinued so  until  it  disintegrated,  going  into  that  sad  experience  found 
so  generally  in  the  "School-House-Church"  where  the  movement 
did  not  soon  crystalize  into  the  erection  of  a  building. 

Washington,  Washington  county,  St.  Paul's. — This  congregation 
was  organized  by  Rev.  M.  F.  Rinker  March  10th,  1888,  and  was 
admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  in  the  same  year.  A  good  building 
lot  was  secured  through  the  help  of  Rev.  J.  N.  Lenker,  valued  at 
$925,  but  no  definite  attempt  was  ever  made  to  erect  a  building. 
It  was  served  by  Rev.  Rinker  until  1890.  For  a  while  after  this 
Washington,  Barnes  and  Greenleaf,  were  placed  in  one  pastoral 
charge  and  served  by  Rev.  J.  E.  Maurer  during  1891.  This  ar- 
rangement was  not  acceptable  to  the  other  churches,  and  as  a  re- 
sult the  church  never  after  that  had  a  pastor  and  soon  disintegrated 
and  was  dropped  from  the  synodical  roll  in  1893. 

Pontiac,  Butler  county,  St.  Paul's. — This  church  was  organized 
by  Travelling  Missionary  T.  F.  Dornblaser  on  the  23d  of  August, 
1891,  and  the  same  year  it  was  received  into  Kansas  Synod.  For 
a  while  it  was  served  by  Rev.  H.  Acker.  It  being  far  from  other 
churches  could  not  be  united  with  another  church  as  a  charge,  and 
as  a  result  it  soon  disbanded.     It  never  erected  a  building. 

Lost  Springs,  Marion  county,  St.  Paul's. — After  preaching  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Lost  Springs  for  some  time  Rev.  B.  F.  Hills  gath- 
ered together  a  number  of  families  among  which  were  Joseph 
Shields  and  wife,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rishel,  Father  Jacob  Wise  and  wife 
and  son  Jacob,  Jr.,  and  Elmer  Wise,  and  Emanuel  Wise  and  wife 
and  Mrs.  Allen,  and  organized  the  St.  Paul's  Ev.  Lutheran  church 


SPRING  GROVE,  CRAWFORD,  CEDAR  VALE  AND  WINFIELD  211 

of  Lost  Springs,  September  23d,  1888.  The  church  worshipped  in 
the  school  house  and  was  served  for  two  years  by  Rev.  Hills. 
Many  of  the  principal  families  moving  away  the  church  finally  dis- 
banded. It  was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod  the  same  year  it  was 
organized. 

Spring  Grove,  Doniphan  county,  Ev.  Lutheran. — A  congregation 
was  organized  here  by  Travelling  Missionary  T.  F.  Dornblaser,  in 
a  school  house  located  ten  miles  north  of  Atchison,  and  with  twenty 
charter  members.  For  a  season  it  was  supplied  by  a  student,  Mr. 
E.  E.  Schantz,  but  it  never  became  established. 

Crawford  county,  Swedish  Lutheran. — Two  Swedish  Lutheran 
congregations  located  at  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  Girard,  Kan- 
sas, called  Rev.  V.  G.  Hoag  as  pastor  in  1870  and  the  reports  of 
these  congregations  were  incorporated  in  the  Kansas  Synod  min- 
utes although  no  record  exists  that  the  congregations  were  ever 
formally  admitted.  The  charge  was  very  weak  and  could  scarcely 
support  a  pastor.  Rev.  Hoag  resigned  in  September,  1873,  and  the 
congregations  a  little  later  went  into  the  Augustana  Synod. 

Cedar  Vale,  Chautauqua  county,  Ev.  Lutheran. — An  Ev.  Luth- 
eran church  was  organized  here  on  the  1st  of  April,  1888,  by  Rev. 
H.  A.  Koogle.  The  organization  was  small  but  the  outlook  seemed 
sufficiently  encouraging  for  the  purchase  of  four  centrally  located 
lots  for  a  church.  At  the  first  services  were  held  in  a  school  house. 
Later  Rev.  S.  Henry  was  secured  for  a  short  season  as  pastor  or 
supply.  However  the  movement  never  advanced  far  enough  to 
warrant  an  application  for  membership  into  the  Synod  and  the 
movement  finally  failed.  Lots  were  purchased  and  held  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  but  finally  sold  by  the  Board  of  Church  Extension. 

W infield,  Kansas. — Quite  an  earnest  effort  was  made  to  locate 
a  church  in  this  fine  city  in  1887  while  Rev.  J.  N.  Lenker  was  Field 
Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Church  Extension.  Several  canvasses 
were  made  by  him  and  services  held,  resulting  in  the  finding  of  a 
number  of  good  Lutheran  families  among  them  Hon  John  A.  Eaton, 
who  was  formerly  a  fellow  member  with  the  writer  of  St.  Paul's 
church  at  Bucyrus,  O.  Mr.  Eaton  offered  to  stand  one  third  of  the 
cost  of  any  lot  that  might  be  purchased  for  a  church  site.  After 
a  partial  development  of  the  field  it  was  left  in  the  hands  of  Rev. 
J.  G.  M.  Hursh  of  Wellington.  Owing  to  the  persistent  opposition 
of  the  Missouri  Lutherans  of  the  city  and  St.  John's  college  located 


212  NORWAY  AND  GEORGETOWN,    (COLO.),   CHURCHES. 

there,  the  attempt  was  finally  given  up,  much  to  the  delight  of  the 
Missourians  as  is  indicated  in  a  sketch  of  theirs  of  St.  John's  col- 
lege. 

Norway,  Republic  county,  Norwegian  Lutheran. — We  do  not  have 
any  information  when  this  church  was  organized,  probably  in  1886 
or  1887.  The  pastor  in  1888  was  Rev.  H.  C.  Roernaes,  who  at  that 
time  held  his  membership  in  Nebraska  Synod.  His  parish  con- 
sisted of  English-Norgewian  churches  located  in  Norway,  Republic 
county,  another  31  miles  west  in  Jewell  county,  and  Spring  Creek 
31  miles  north  in  Nuckolls  county,  Nebraska.  The  charge  was 
poor  and  the  pastor  illy  supported.  On  the  19th  of  April,  1888,  the 
corner-stone  of  a  new  church  was  laid  at  Norway  and  a  service 
was  held  in  both  English  and  Norwegian,  Rev.  J.  E.  Maurer,  of 
Hardy,  Nebraska,  assisting.  After  a  painful  struggle  the  church 
was  completed  and  was  opened  for  use  for  the  first  time  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  May  28th,  1888.  While  the  audience  was  as- 
sembling a  frightful  hurricane  came  up  and  tore  the  building  into 
pieces.  The  church  was  an  humble  one  costing,  not  counting  the 
help  of  the  people,  about  $600,  and  its  erection  after  the  loss  of 
the  crops  during  the  year  previous,  was  one  of  great  sacrifice.  Al- 
though the  church  did  not  belong  to  the  General  Synod,  Rev.  J.  N. 
Lenker  secured  for  it  a  donation  of  $200.  Surrounding  churches 
lent  a  helping  hand  and  the  brave  Norwegians  set  to  work  erecting 
a  still  better  church.  This  was  dedicated  in  the  spring  of  1889, 
when  Rev.  C.  Huber  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon  and  so  well 
managed  the  finances  that  the  debt  was  all  raised. 

Georgetown,  Colorado,  St.  Paul's. — The  residence  of  Rev. 
Reuben  Weiser,  D.  D.,  at  Georgetown,  Colo.,  in  the  heart  of  the 
Rockies  could  not  long  continue  without  an  effort  to  organize  a 
church  there.  After  preaching  for  some  time  to  the  many  foreign 
speaking  miners  there  while  he  was  editing  and  publishing  "The 
Colorado  Miner,"  he  finally  effected  the  organization  of  St.  Paul's 
Ev.  Lutheran  church  with  twenty-five  charter  members,  on  the  27th 
of  August,  1877.  This  congregation  was  received  into  Kansas 
Synod  the  same  year,  when  it  was,  Resolved,  "That  we  rejoice  in 
the  fact  that  we  have  now  one  General  Synod  Lutheran  church  in 
the  growing  state  of  Colorado."  In  a  letter  at  the  same  time  sent 
the  Synod  Dr.  Weiser  said,  "There  are  250  or  300  members  of  the 
Lutheran  church  in  Georgetown.  I  preach  for  them  for  nothing, 
am  my  own  sexton,  and  furnish  the  house.     I  raise  some  money 


AMERICUS,  JOHNSON  CO.,  TIPTON,  MO.,  ETC.  213 

for  missions  ($10)  and  officiate  in  three  languages."  This  church 
later  became  Scandinavian,  and  now  belongs  to  the  Augustana 
Synod. 

Americus,  Lyon  county,  Ev.  Lutheran. — At  a  point  about  ten 
miles  northwest  of  Emporia  a  goodly  company  of  settlers  from 
Perry  county,  Pennsylvania  took  up  lands  and  at  once  began  to 
look  out  for  a  church  of  their  own  faith.  Travelling  Missionary 
Dornblaser  visited  the  place  and  after  preaching  for  them,  with 
the  assistance  of  Rev.  L.  C.  Grosclose,  organized  an  English  Luth- 
eran church  on  the  24th  of  August,  however  not  completing  the 
details.  This  was  accomplished  on  the  21st  of  September,  when 
nineteen  members  were  enrolled.  At  this  time  a  Church  Council 
was  elected  and  installed.  Among  the  prominent  families  identi- 
fying themselves  with  the  new  church  were  the  Swarners,  the  Has- 
singers,  the  Leshes,  the  Barclays,  the  Shoops,  the  Havers,  the  Ma- 
hans,  and  the  Herbersels.  The  congregation  was  admitted  into 
Kansas  Synod  that  fall.  Services  were  held  here  for  a  season  by 
Rev.  Grosclose  as  supply,  but  the  church  never  built,  and  never 
succeeded  in  getting  a  regular  pastor.    The  enterprise  finally  failed. 

Johnson  county,  St.  Paul's— A  preaching  point  was  located  five 
miles  south  of  Gardner,  which  was  organized  into  a  church  in  1872 
known  as  St.  Paul's  Ev.  Lutheran  church  of  Johnson  county.  The 
same  year  it  was  admitted  into  Kansas  Synod.  It  was  supplied 
occasionally  by  Rev.  D.  S.  Altman,  but  it  was  seemingly  not  able 
to  pay  even  all  his  travelling  expenses.  It  had  about  a  dozen  mem- 
bers but  no  building.  It  disappears  from  the  minutes  during  the 
later  seventies. 

Franklin  county,  St.  Matthew's. — This  church  was  organized  and 
admitted  into  Synod  in  1872,  a  "school-house"  church  which  never 
became  permanent  and  never  had  a  regular  pastor. 

Kansas  City,  Kansas,  Swedish  Lutheran.— This  church  was  or- 
ganized about  1878,  and  was  given  aid  in  the  sum  of  $60  by  the 
Board  of  Home  Missions.  The  church  however  never  came  into 
the  General  Synod  and  is  probably  now  in  the  Augustana  Synod 
if  in  existence. 

Tipton,  Missouri,  English  Lutheran.— Tipton,  Missouri,  was  visit- 
ed a  couple  times  by  Rev.  Morris  Officer  during  his  western  mis- 
sionary trips.  It  was  located  on  the  line  of  railroad  which  connect- 
ed St.  Louis  with  the  young  town  on  the  Kansas  border,  then  known 


214  TIPTON   AND   VERSAILLES,   MO.,  CHURCHES. 

as  Westport  or  Kansas  City.  On  the  22nd  of  February,  1867,  he 
effected  an  organization  with  twenty  charter  members.  In  the  lat- 
ter part  of  April  he  succeeded  in  installing  Rev.  E.  J.  Keplinger  as 
missionary,  serving  the  church  in  connection  with  one  at  Versailes. 
In  November,  1868,  these  two  churches  through  their  pastor  and 
a  lay  delegate  participated  in  the  organization  of  Kansas  Synod,  at 
Topeka.  The  church  was  never  able  to  erect  a  building,  though 
the  pastor  issued  an  earnest  appeal  in  the  Lutheran  Observer  of 
April  30th,  1869,  for  assistance,  and  had  a  building  committee  ap- 
pointed composed  of  Messrs  Jacob  Crone,  L.  M.  Culler,  T.  Parkins, 
A.  T.  Swarner,  and  G.  Rosenhahn,  but  the  movement  failed,  and 
the  congregation  continued  to  use  the  town  school  house.  The 
church  really  never  became  strong.  After  three  years  Rev.  Kep- 
linger resigned.  After  that  the  charge  was  supplied  with  preaching 
occasionally,  but  owing  to  its  inability  to  support  a  pastor  it  soon 
languished.  In  1872-3  Rev.  W.  H.  Steck  of  Kansas  City  supplied 
them  off  and  on.  Finally  some  of  the  members  moving  away,  the 
others  went  into  other  churches,  and  the  effort  failed. 

Versailles,  Missouri,  English  Lutheran. — While  visiting  Tipton, 
Missouri,  during  his  western  missionary  trips  Rev.  Morris  Officer 
went  across  the  country  to  the  county  seat  of  Morgan  county  some 
eighteen  miles  to  the  south  of  Tipton  and  a  hundred  and  thirty 
miles  from  Kansas  City.  Here  he  held  services  in  the  county  court 
house,  preaching  several  days,  "A  blessed  work,"  as  he  writes  in 
his  diary  as  quoted  in  Imhoff's  "Life  of  Morris  Officer."  On  Thurs- 
day the  21st  of  February,  1867,  he  organized  a  church,  "received 
members,  four  by  letter,  two  by  profession  of  faith,  and  two  by 
confirmation."  They  adopted  a  constitution  and  elected  church  of- 
ficers. Among  the  members  were  two  brothers  Geo.  H.  and  John 
H.  Stover.  The  church  here  was  rather  stronger  than  that  at  Tip- 
ton. In  April  Rev.  E.  J.  Keplinger  was  installed  as  pastor.  This 
church  with  that  at  Tipton  reported  in  1869  a  combined  member- 
ship of  fifty-five.  While  Rev.  Keplinger  was  here  he  was  assisted 
in  several  protracted  meetings  by  his  colleague  in  Kansas  City,  Rev. 
A.  W.  Wagenhals.  After  the  resignation  of  the  pastor  in  1870  the 
church  was  never  able  to  get  another  and  as  a  result  languished 
until  it  ceased  to  exist.     (See  Tipton.) 


INCORPORATION   OF   KANSAS  SYNOD.  215 

CHANGE  OF  NAME  AND   INCORPORA- 
TION OF  KANSAS  SYNOD. 

When  Kansas  Synod  was  organized  in  November,  1868,  in  the 
absence  of  a  prepared  constitution,  it  resolved  to  be  governed  by 
the  constitution  of  the  Synod  of  East  Pennsylvania,  substituting 
the  word  "Kansas"  for  that  of  "East  Pennsylvania."  On  April 
2nd,  1869,  at  a  special  meeting  of  Kansas  Synod  at  Atchison,  a 
constitution  was  formally  adopted  in  which  the  name  of  the  synod 
was  specified  as,  "The  Evangelical  Lutheran  Synod  of  Kansas  and 
Adjacent  States."  The  basis  of  this  constitution  was  stated  to  be 
that  of  the  General  Synod  as  held  and  published  at  that  time.  At 
this  same  convention  the  officers  were  instructed  to  "procure  an  act 
of  incorporation  for  the  Synod."  This  was  not  done  and  at  the  next 
convention  of  Synod  the  matter,  although  brought  up,  was  allowed 
to  lapse.  There  is  no  record  of  any  incorporation  papers  taken  out 
until  1886.  However  in  1883  steps  were  taken  through  which  the 
name  of  the  Synod  was  changed  to  "The  Ev.  Lutheran  Synod  of 
Kansas,"  by  legally  dropping  the  words,  "And  Adjacent  States." 
Under  signature  of  A.  J.  Kissell,  President,  and  M.  F.  Troxell,  Sec- 
retary, articles  were  filed  with  the  Secretary  of  State  from  Shawnee 
county,  on  the  28th  of  November,  1884  certifying  to  this  change 
of  name.  On  the  17th  of  November,  1886  application  was  filed  for 
a  state  charter  from  Lyon  county,  and  this  document  was  issued 
with  an  expiring  limit  of  twenty  years.  From  this  time  on  a  Board 
of  Trustees  was  annually  elected  and  duly  qualified  by  making 
affidavit  of  their  election  and  promising  to  perform  the  duties  of 
the  charge  faithfully.  In  1887  the  Synod  instructed  its  Trustees  to 
adopt  a  code  of  By-Laws  for  the  purpose  of  governing  the  secular 
transactions  of  the  Synod.  At  the  convention  of  the  Synod  at  To- 
peka  in  1906  the  Trustees  were  instructed  to  allow  the  old  Charter 
to  expire  by  limitation,  November  17th,  1906,  and  immediately  take 
out  a  new  Charter  with  a  ninety-nine  year  limitation.  This  was 
accordingly  done  and  on  the  30th  of  November  it  was  issued.  The 
document  is  as  follows: 

Office  of  the  Secretary  of  State.  I,  J.  R.  Burrow,  Secretary 
of  the  State  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  certify  that  the  following  and  an- 
nexed is  a  true  and  complete  copy  of  the  Charter  of  the  Evangel- 
ical Lutheran  Synod  of  Kansas,  filed  for  record  in  this  office  Nov- 
ember 30,  1906.    In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  subscribed 


216  KANSAS   SYNOD   CHARTER. 

my  name  and  affixed  my  official  seal,  this  30th  day  of  November, 
A.  D.,  1906,  (Signed)  J.  R.  Burrow.  (Seal.) 

The  Charter. 

The  Charter  of  the  Ev.  Lutheran  Synod  of  Kansas. 

The  undersigned  citizens  of  the  state  of  Kansas,  do  hereby  vol- 
untarily associate  ourselves,  together  for  the  purpose  of  forming 
a  private  corporation  under' the  laws  of  the  state  of  Kansas,  and 
do  hereby  certify, 

First,  That  the  name  of  this  corporation  shall  be  The  Evangelical 
Lutheran  Synod  of  Kansas. 

Second,  That  the  purposes  for  which  this  corporation  is  formed 
are  to  promote  the  worship  of  Almighty  God  under  the  Formula  for 
the  Government  and  Discipline  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  church 
as  adopted  by  The  General  Synod  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America:  to  discharge  all  the  func- 
tions arising  under  the  rules  and  regulations  of  said  church;  to 
advance  the  temporal  interests  of  said  church  in  Kansas  by  taking, 
holding  and  disposing  of  such  property,  personal  and  real,  as  it 
may  acquire  by  gift,  devise,  purchase,  or  otherwise. 

Third,  That  the  places  where  its  business  is  to  be  transacted  are 
at  Topeka  and  such  other  places  where  said  synod  meets  in  An- 
nual Convention,  and  other  places  arranged  for  by  its  Board  of 
Trustees. 

Fourth,  That  the  term  for  which  this  a  corporation  is  to  exist  is 
ninety-nine  years. 

In  Testimony  whereof,  we  have  hereunto  subscribed  our  names, 
this  17th  day  of  November,  A.  D.,  1906. 

H.  A.  Ott, 
J.  B.  McAfee, 
C.  W.  Horn, 
J.  B.  Wherfel, 
H.  G.  Licht. 

State  of  Kansas,  Shawnee  County,  S.  S.  Personally  appeared 
before  me,  a  Notary  Public  in  and  for  Shawnee  county,  Kansas, 
the  above-named  H.  A.  Ott,  J.  B.  McAfee,  C.  W.  Horn,  J.  B.  Wher- 
fel  and  H.  G.  Licht,  who  are  personally  known  to  me  to  be  the  same 
who  executed  the  foregoing  instrument  of  writing,  and  duly  ac- 
knowledged the  execution  of  the  same.-  In  Testimony  Whereof,  I 
have  hereunto  subscribed  my  name  and  affixed  my  notarial  seal  this 
17th  day  of  November,  A.  D.,  1906.  (Signed)  Elias  Shull,  (Seal) 
Notary  Public,  Shawnee  county,  Kansas.  (Term  will  end  March  16, 
1908. 

Filed  for  Record,  Nov.  30,  1906. 

J.  R.  Burrow,  Sec'y  of  State. 


BENEVOLENT  WORK  OF  KANSAS  SYNOD.  217 

KANSAS  SYNOD  AND  THE  BENEV- 
OLENCES OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Kansas  Synod  at  its  second  convention,  a  special  session  held 
at  Atchison  in  April,  1869,  elected,  Rev.  A.  J.  Hesson  and  Hon. 
S.  J.  H.  Snyder  as  its  delegates  to  the  Twenty- fourth  Convention 
of  the  General  Synod  which  met  in  May  following,  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  giving  them  instruction  to  make  formal  application  for 
membership.  The  Synod  was  duly  received  at  this  convention  and 
committed  itself  to  support  the  missionary  and  benevolent  opera- 
tions carried  on  by  the  General  Synod.  Its  first  contributions  the 
following  year  were  small  indeed,  consisting  of  $112  for  home  mis- 
sions, and  $50  for  foreign  missions.  During  the  first  ten  years 
of  its  history  the  total  contributions  of  Kansas  Synod  to  the  Gen- 
eral Synod  averaged  less  than  $250  per  year.  This  need  not  seem 
strange  when  one  takes  into  consideration  the  struggle  of  the  peo- 
ple amid  drouths  and  grasshopper  plagues  to  maintain  a  church 
service  of  their  own  from  year  to  year. 

However  at  the  close  of  the  second  decade,  1888,  the  Synod 
showed  decided  gain,  as  is  seen  in  the  following  report:  General 
Synod,  $61;  Home  Missions,  $92;  Foreign  Missions,  $100;  Church 
Extension,  $128;  Pastor's  Fund,  $17;  Ministerial  Education,  $327; 
Orphan's  Home,  $25;  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  S.,  $917. 

Ten  years  later,  1898  the  growth  is  seen  in  the  following  report: 
General  Synod,  $45;  Home  Missions,  $574;  Foreign  Misisons, 
$432;  Church  Extension,  $387;  Board  of  Education,  $199;  Board 
of  Education,  $199;  Ministerial  Education,  $210;  Orphan's  Home, 
$142;  Pastor's  Fund,  $115;  Deaconness  Board,  $55;  Home  for  the 
Aged,  $64;  Synodical  Treasury,  $175;  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  S.,  $613; 
External  Benevolence,  $164;  Total,  $3,150. 

The  latest  report  shows  the  following  benevolence,  an  increase 
of  over  100  per  cent:  General  Synod  $44;  Synodical  Treasury, 
$190;  Home  Missions,  $836;  Foreign  Missions,  $779;  Church  Ex- 
tension, $643;  Board  of  Education,  $473;  Ministerial  Education, 
$315;  Pastor's  Fund,  $175;  Orphan's  Home,  $190;  Deaconness 
Board,  $139;  Home  for  the  Aged,  $102;  Woman's  Missionary  So- 
ciety, $1469;  External  Benevolence,  $750;  Total,  $6,376. 

Kansas  Synod  does  not  have  any  orphan's  home  upon  its  terri- 
tory.    For  many  years  it  supported  that  at  Loysville,  Penna.,  but 


218  THE  NACHUSA  AND  TABITHA  ORPHAN'S   HOMES. 

when  the  Nachusa  Orphan's  Home,  located  at  Nachusa,  Illinois, 
was  established  (1904),  the  Synod  decided  to  withdraw  its  support 
from  the  Loysville  Home  and  give  it  to  the  Nachusa  Home,  be- 
cause the  latter  was  nearer  its  own  territory.  Since  1904  the  Synod 
has  elected  representatives  on  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Nach- 
usa Home.  The  Home  has  46  acres  of  improved  land  and  a  large 
house  valued  all  told  at  $6,000. 

Recently  there  came  into  the  possession  of  the  combined  synods 
of  Iowa,  Kansas,  Nebraska  and  the  German  Nebraska,  what  was 
known  as  The  Tabitha  Home,  consisting  of  fifteen  acres  of  land  in 
the  suburbs  of  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  having  two  large  buildings,  one 
164  by  64  feet  and  four  stories  high,  containing  75  rooms,  and  the 
other  a  large  structure  used  for  hospital  purposes,  besides  other 
improvements.  The  Synod  in  session  at  Topeka,  1906,  instructed 
a  committee,  consisting  of  Dr.  H.  L.  Yarger  and  Revs.  R.  B.  Lantz 
and  I.  B.  Heisey,  to  investigate  the  proposition  and  cooperating 
with  the  other  synods,  purchase  if  deemed  best.  This  committee 
has  acted  and  the  property  has  come  into  the  possession  of  the 
synods  named.  The  new  Board  has  decided  to  open  the  institu- 
tion as  a  hospital  and  home.  The  larger  building  as  a  hospital  and 
the  smaller  one  as  a  home  for  the  aged  and  orphans.  Plans  look- 
ing for  the  completion  of  this  work  are  now  being  submitted.  At 
best  the  institution  is  only  in  its  formative  state.  The  property  is 
worth,  at  a  fair  estimate,  fully,  $50,000.  It  is  possible  Kansas 
Synod  will  set  aside  a  specified  sum  year  after  year  for  its  main- 
tenance. 

Aside  from  what  the  Synod  did  specifically  for  the  development 
of  its  own  home  mission  field  through  the  travelling  missionary 
secretaries,  as  related  in  another  section,  it  has  during  the  past 
five  years  been  endeavoring  to  plant  some  new  missions,  and  has 
raised  a  special  fund  for  this  purpose.  In  1902  that  at  Oklahoma 
City  was  undertaken,  and  a  good  church  established  there.  The 
Synod  is  now  ready  to  take  up  another  important  field. 


THE  W.   H.  AND  F.  M.  SOCIETY.  219 

THE   WOMAN'S   HOME    AND    FOREIGN 
MISSIONARY    SOCIETY. 

Active  interest  in  the  cause  of  missions  has  always  characterized 
Kansas  Synod,  and  especially  was  this  seen  among  the  women,  and 
at  a  time  when  nearly  all  of  the  churches  were  as  yet  but  missions 
themselves.  This  interest  bore  fruitage  at  a  very  early  period  when 
the  movement  of  woman's  missionary  societies  was  scarcely 
launched.  It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the  movement  which  cul- 
minated in  the  organization  of  the  Lutheran  Woman's  Home  and 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  had  its  birth  on  Trans-Mississippi  ter- 
ritory, when  Rev.  J.  K.  Bloom  introduced  in  Iowa  Synod  at  its  con- 
vention at  Tipton  in  1875  a  resolution  to  appoint  a  committee  to 
consider  and  report  upon  the  propriety  and  feasibility  of  forming 
a  'Woman's  Missionary  Society'  of  the  Lutheran  churches  of  Iowa." 
The  first  auxiliary  society  was  formed  that  year  at  Tipton  on  the 
23d  of  August,  and  that  same  year  the  Iowa  society  was  organized. 
Out  of  this  humble  movement  other  Iowa  societies  were  organized. 
Other  denominations  had  already  taken  up  this  kind  of  work.  In 
the  East  auxiliaries  sprang  up  in  large  numbers.  Various  synods 
agitated  the  same  end,  resulting  finally  in  the  call  for  a  convention 
at  Canton,  Ohio,  June  9-11,  1879,  at  which  place  the  General  W. 
H.  &  F.  M.  S.  was  organized,  with  a  working  Executive  Committee 
located  at  Springfield,  Ohio.  Mrs.  S.  S.  Waltz  of  Kansas  City  was 
made  a  member  of  this  committee.  During  this  period  the  church 
papers  were  full  of  glowing  accounts  of  the  new  movement.  These 
earnest  appeals  stirred  the  hearts  of  some  of  the  Kansas  women, 
and  among  these  was  Mrs.  Jacob  Schauer,  whose  husband  was  pas- 
tor at  Barnes  and  Greenleaf.  Mrs.  Schauer  had  the  honor  of  or- 
ganizing the  first  auxiliary  society  west  of  the  Missouri  river,  which 
was  effected  on  the  7th  of  September,  1879,  in  the  Kenyon  school 
house,  which  was  located  about  three  miles  from  Waterville.  Here 
a  congregation  worshipped  to  which  Rev.  Schauer  preached,  as  a 
missionary  commissioned  by  the  Board  of  Home  Missions.  The 
congregation  did  not  even  own  a  church  building.  Besides  it  was 
composed  of  a  few  families  living  out  on  the  raw  prairies,  and  con- 
tent to  worship  in  a  country  school  house.  On  this  occasion  the 
pastor  sought  to  prepare  the  way  by  preaching  an  earnest  mission- 
ary sermon.    After  this  service  the  organization  took  place  with  the 


220  KANSAS   SYNOD  W.    H.   AND   F.   M.   SOCIETY. 

following  officers:  President,  Mrs.  J.  Schauer;  Vice  President,  Mrs. 
William  Reitzel;  Recording  Secretary,  Mrs.  Sarah  Heckert;  Cor- 
responding Secretary,  Mrs.  Emilie  Reitzel;  Treasurer,  Mrs.  H.  M. 
Shirck.  This  society  was  reported  to  the  then  newly  constituted 
Executive  Committee  at  Springfield,  Ohio,  and  thereafter  reported 
to  that  center  until  the  Kansas  Synodical  Society  was  formed. 

Six  weeks  later  at  the  convention  of  Kansas  Synod  at  Abilene, 
the  subject  of  woman's  missionary  societies  was  discussed,  result- 
ing in  the  offering  of  the  following  resolutions  by  Rev.  Charles 
Martin,  M.  D.,  which  were  unanimously  adopted: 

"Resolved,  That  this  Synod  recognizes  the  importance  and  value 
of  the  Women's  Missionary  Societies  in  carrying  forward  the  var- 
ious denominational  operations  and  that  we  hail  with  pleasure  the 
efforts  of  the  energetic  women  to  establish  auxiliary  branches  of 
the  society  throughout  the  church. 

"Resolved,  That  we  appoint  five  Lutheran  women  within  the 
Kansas  Synod,  to  take  charge  of  this  interest,  with  a  view  to  the 
establishment  of  the  society  throughout  our  border." 

The  committee  appointed  consisted  of  Mrs.  S.  S.  Waltz  of  Kan- 
sas City,  Mo.,  Mrs.  O.  J.  Peters  of  Abilene,  Mrs.  J.  Schauer  of 
Greenleaf,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Smith  of  White  Rock,  and  Mrs.  Ira  Fleck  of 
Bunker  Hill.  This  committee  had  truly  a  great  undertaking  be- 
fore it,  considering  the  material  out  of  which  to  originate  a  Synod- 
ical Missionary  Society.  Kansas  Synod  at  that  time  was  practically 
a  missionary  synod  in  which  every  congregation  was  receiving  mis- 
sionary aid  more  or  less,  excepting  only  that  at  Abilene  and  that 
at  East  Norway,  (Moray),  a  congregation  near  St.  Joseph  and 
served  by  Dr.  Martin  in  connection  with  his  school.  Shortly  after 
the  adjournment  of  this  Synod  the  second  auxiliary  society  was 
organized  in  the  Pleasant  Hill  school  house,  in  Marshall  county 
near  Waterville,  in  which  the  Hebron  Lutheran  church  worshipped, 
and  which  was  served  by  Rev.  David  Harbaugh.  The  organization 
took  place  on  the  9th  of  November  and  started  out  with  nine  char- 
ter members  and  the  following  officers:  President,  Mrs.  D.  Har- 
baugh; Vice  President,  Mrs.  Frank  Falkner;  Recording  Secretary, 
Mrs.  George  Kistler;  Corresponding  Secretary,  Mrs.  Floyd  Kistler; 
Treasurer,  Mrs Deistelbach. 

The  committee  appointed  by  Kansas  Synod  being  so  widely  sep- 
arated could  co-operate  only  by  correspondence.  Mrs.  Waltz  be- 
came president  and  Mrs.  Peters  secretary  of  the  committee. 

The  committee  was  not  able  to  effect  any  new  organizations  dur- 
ing the  year;  however  it  called  a  meeting  of  interested  workers  to 


KANSAS   SYNOD  W.    H.   AND   F.   M.   SOCIETY.  221 

be  held  in  conjunction  with  the  next  Synod  at  Lawrence  on  the 
14th  of  October,  1880.  When  the  time  arrived  only  three  of  the 
committee  were  able  to  be  present,  on  account  of  the  distance,  the 
prevailing  poverty  of  the  people,  and  the  few  railroads  which  then 
existed  in  the  state.  The  experience  of  Mrs.  Schauer  in  getting  to 
this  convention  may  be  related  as  an  illustration  of  the  dfficulties 
which  had  to  be  overcome  in  those  early  days  in  establishing  any 
concerted  movement  of  the  churches.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Schauer  were 
the  faithful  missionaries  laboring  on  the  frontier  line  of  Kansas 
settlements  on  the  northwest,  located  near  the  terminus  of  the  Cen- 
tral Branch  railroad,  a  line  which  led  direct  into  Atchison.  Once 
in  Atchison  they  were  still  a  long  way  from  Lawrence.  Besides 
they  did  not  have  the  money  with  which  to  pay  car  fare.  So  they 
decided  to  drive  across  the  country,  hitching  their  two  nimble  pon- 
ies to  their  carriage.  En  route  they  took  aboard  Rev.  D.  Harbaugh 
and  his  lay  delegate  to  the  Synod.  Leaving  their  children  in  the 
care  of  a  house  keeper  they  started  on  their  long  journey  of  at 
least  140  miles,  stopping  at  nights  with  hospitable  people  though 
utter  strangers.  It  took  three  days  to  make  the  drive,  but  they  ar- 
rived there  in  time  and  none  the  worse  for  their  long  journey.  This 
overland  trip  of  nearly  300  miles  by  carriage  to  attend  a  mission- 
ary convention  is  doubtless  a  unique  experience  in  missionary  cir- 
cles within  our  church. 

At  the  appointed  hour  seven  women  met  in  the  parlor  of  the  pas- 
tor, Rev.  A.  A.  Trimper,  composed  of,  Mrs.  S.  S.  Waltz,  Mrs.  O.  J. 
Peters,  and  Mrs.  J.  Schauer  of  the  original  committee,  and  Mrs. 
H.  F.  Long  of  Bunker  Hill,  Mrs.  T.  F.  Dornblaser  of  Ellsworth, 
Mrs.  A.  J.  Kissell  of  Abilene,  and  Mrs.  A.  A.  Trimper  of  Lawrence. 
Besides  these  Revs.  Waltz  and  Long  were  present  to  advise  and 
counsel.  Here  the  Kansas  Synodical  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  S.  was  organ- 
ized and  a  constitution  adopted.  Mrs.  Waltz  was  chosen  President; 
Mrs.  Schauer,  Vice  President;  Mrs.  A.  J.  Kissell,  Recording  Secre- 
tary; Mrs.  Peters,  Corresponding  Secretary;  and  Mrs.  Long,  Treas- 
urer. Little  was  done  save  to  pray  for  the  cause  which  they  had 
launched,  and  adopt  some  resolutions  urging  pastors  to  preach  on 
the  subject,  and  plan  for  the  organizing  of  new  socities.  On  the 
following  day  the  Synod  gave  them  an  hour,  for  a  meeting  with 
the  Synod.  Mrs.  Waltz  presided,  Mrs.  Peters  read  a  Scripture  les- 
son, and  Mrs.  Schauer  led  in  prayer.  The  newly  elected  President 
addressed  the  Synod  making  an  earnest  plea  for  a  missionary  so- 
ciety in  every  charge,  and  closed  by  declaring  the  Kansas  Synod- 
ical Missionary  Society  organized.     The  new  society  was  duly  en- 


222  KANSAS  SYNOD  W.   H.  AND  F.  M.  SOCIETY. 

rolled  in  the  General  Society  at  its  next  convention  at  Altoona, 
Pennsylvania,  the  following  spring,  at  which  time  the  Kansas  Aux- 
iliary Societies  had  increased  from  two  to  five. 

This  was  indeed  a  very  humble  beginning  of  woman's  missionary 
work  in  Kansas.  Seven  women,  six  of  whom  at  that  time  were  not 
as  yet  connected  with  any  Auxiliary  Society,  and  two  Auxiliary  So- 
cieties on  the  territory,  began  the  work  out  of  which  to  start  a 
movement  which  finally  would  sweep  through  nearly  all  of  our 
churches.  During  the  following  year  societies  were  organized  at 
Topeka,  White  Rock,  Hays  City,  Abilene,  and  East  Norway.  The 
first  Annual  Convention  was  held  in  connection  with  the  Synod  at 
Bunker  Hill,  October  7th,  1881.  Although  the  place  was  on  the 
extreme  western  boundary  of  the  Synod,  the  attendance  was  very 
encouraging.  The  Synod  adjourned  some  of  its  sessions  and  gave 
the  time  to  the  woman's  meeting.  At  this  time  the  Corresponding 
Secretary  reported  seven  societies,  eighty-eight  members,  and  con- 
tributions amounting  to  $123.  At  this  convention  by-laws  were 
adopted  and  the  work  of  extending  the  organizations  more  fully 
planned,  and  the  success  of  the  future  became  more  bright  and 
promising. 

Other  societies  were  organized  as  follows:  In  1882  at  Eureka, 
Salina,  and  Greenleaf;  in  1884  at  Kansas  City,  First  church  and  at 
the  Children's  Memorial;  in  1885  at  Atchison,  Emporia,  Minneap- 
olis, Ottawa,  Peabody,  and  Bunker  Hill;  in  1886  at  Lawrence, 
Barnes,  Ellsworth,  and  Hardy  (Neb.);  in  1887  at  Minneapolis 
(Young  Peoples) ;  in  1888  at  Salina  (St.  Paul's)  and  Hays  City;  in 
1889  at  Perth,  Denver,  Wellington,  Hutchinson,  Whitewater  and 
Peabody  (Children's) ;  in  1890  at  Chapman,  Lawrence  (Children's) 
Salina,  (Children's),  Atchison  (Young  People's),  and  Ellsworth 
(Children's);  in   1891   at  Atchison    (Children's),  and  Garnett;  in 

1892  at  Leavenworth  and  Kansas  City  Memorial   (Children's);  in 

1893  at  Effingham  (Woman's  and  Children's).  For  the  next  ten 
years  no  new  organizations  were  effected.  In  1903  one  was  or- 
ganized at  Oklahoma  City,  Okla.,  and  in  1905  one  at  St.  Joseph, 
Mo. 

A  number  of  these  societies  have  disbanded,  finding  the  work 
difficult  under  their  environment.  But  after  the  society  once  was 
fairly  launched  the  contributions  increased  year  after  year  until 
the  climax  was  reached  in  1889-90.  After  that  date  the  work  some- 
what declined,  both  in  interest  and  in  receipts,  until  1900,  when  the 
trend  again  was  upward,  and  in  1906  the  receipts  passed  the  high- 
est previous  mark,  the  total  reaching  $1469.33.     In   1889  the  so- 


223 


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224     KANSAS  SYNOD  W.  H.  AND  F.  M.  SOCIETY,  25  YEARS  EXHIBIT. 

ciety  was  duly  incorporated  under  the  seal  of  the  Secretary  of 
State  as  "The  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of 
the  Ev.  Lutheran  Synod  of  Kansas."  In  1890  the  officers  began 
the  publication  of  a  sprightly  eight-page  quarterly  paper  called 
"The  Synodical  Reporter,"  which  was  edited  by  Mrs.  Alice  G. 
Bond,  the  President.  This  little  publication  was  continued  through 
four  years,  and  at  the  time  exerted  a  good  influence  among  the  so- 
cieties. 

At  the  present  time  the  society  reports  26  Auxiliaries,  591  active 
members,  and  a  total  contributions  for  the  year  1905-6  of  $1469. 
The  officers  are,  President,  Mrs.  H.  L.  Yarger,  Atchison;  Corre- 
sponding Secretary,  Mrs.  Fuller  Bergstresser,  Abilene;  Recording 
Secretary,  Mrs.  B.  R.  Lantz,  St.  Joseph,  Mo.;  Treasurer,  Mrs.  R.  B. 
Wolf,  Kansas  City;  Historian,  Mrs.  Olive  J.  Peters,  Abilene. 


W.  F.  &  F.  M.  SOCIETY  EXHIBIT,  26  YEARS. 


Place  of 
Convention 


Name  of 
President 


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si 

*£  ^ 

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O  & 

m 

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§ 

2 

20 

7 

88 

11 

144 

13 

209 

10 

190 

15 

209 

20 

320 

22 

506 

25 

492 

27 

650 

34 

648 

34 

772 

33 

755 

82 

667 

30 

581 

27 

511 

28 

513 

2fi 

429 

24 

399 

25 

526 

24 

475 

23 

430 

25 

461 

26 

532 

28 

527 

26 

534 

26 

591 

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1880 
1881 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1885 
1886 
1887 

1SNS 

1889 

189(1 
1891 
1892 
In:i:! 
1894 
1895 
1896 
1897 
1898 
1899 
1900 
1901 
L902 
i9o:: 
1904 
1905 
loot; 


Lawrence 

Bunker   Hill 

Salina 

Eureka 

Topeka 

Peabody 

Waterville 

Abilene 

Lawrence 

Atchison..-. 

Salina.' 

Emporia 

Kansas  City  Mem 
Kansas  City  1st. . 

Topeka 

Peabody 

Lawrence 

Peabody 

Hutchinson 

Atchison 

Waterville 

Wellington 

Salina. ...  . 

St.  Joseph 

Eureka.7.'. 

Emporia. 

Topeka. .  .  .  '. 


Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 

Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 


S.    S.    Waltz 

S.  S.  Waltz 

T.  F.  Dornblaser 
T.  P.  Dornblaser 

A.  J.  Kissell 

M.   J.   Schauer. . . 

O.  J.   Peters 

L.  L.   Belmer. . . . 

J.  M.  Cromer 

X.   L.   Bond 

T.  L.   Bond 

T.   L.   Bond 

T.   L.   Bond 

J.    Schauer 

E.  C.  Beegle 

E.   C.  Beegle 

T.   L.   Bond 

T.   L.  Bond 

John   Hoffer 

L.  S.  Keyser 

L.  S.  Keyser 

L.  S.  Keyser 

T.   L.   Bond 

T.   L.   Bond 

T.   L.   Bond 

H.  A.  Ott 

H.  A.  Ott 


$25.00 
123.00 
210.61 
95.00 
196.61 
205.40 
493.95 
754.55 
887.63 
1124.63 
835.57 
955.82 
824.8S 
902.63 
705.37 
760.73 
698.42 
582.69 
646.40 
649.46 
626.45 
568.00 
651.94 
666.68 
968.76 
1157.21 
1469.33 


YOUNG    PEOPLE'S   SOCIETIES.  225 

THE  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  SOCIETY  MOVE- 
MENT. 

The  earliest  organizations  of  young  people's  societies  in  our  Kan- 
sas Synod  churches  were  of  the  Christian  Endeavor  kind.  This 
movement  had  its  origin  in  a  congregational  church  in  Portland, 
Maine,  in  1881,  and  before  a  decade  had  passed  the  movement  had 
found  its  way  into  possibly  every  Protestant  denomination  in  this 
country.  About  the  middle  of  the  eighties  several  societies  were 
organized  in  Kansas.  In  1889  Kansas  Synod  took  official  action 
in  passing  the  following  resolution: 

Whereas,  The  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor 
has  become  a  power  for  the  advancement  of  our  Redeemer's  King- 
dom throughout  the  whole  country,  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we  as  a  Synod  recommend  to,  and  urge  upon, 
our  congregations  the  formation  of  such  societies,  and  thus  en- 
courage an  agency  which  is  of  untold  benefit  to  the  development 
of  our  young  people  in  church  work. 

No  definite  action  was  taken  by  the  pastors  other  than  to  or- 
ganize local  societies.  Aside  from  Christian  Endeavor  societies 
other  organizations  such  as  "The  Luther  Alliance,"  "The  Kings 
Daughters,"  and  various  "Clubs,"  found  place  in  some  of  our 
churches.  About  this  time  the  Luther  League  movement  was  in- 
augurated in  the  East,  and  quite  a  number  of  our  Christian  Endea- 
vor Societies  were  merged  into  either  Luther  Leagues,  or  Luther 
Leagues  of  Christian  Endeavor.  At  this  writing  fully  half  of  the 
societies  are  straight  Luther  Leagues. 

In  1893  a  movement  was  started  for  the  purpose  of  ef- 
fecting a  general  union  of  all  the  young  people's  societies.  A  call 
was  issued  to  the  local  societies  inviting  them  to  send  delegates  to 
Kansas  City  when  Kansas  Synod  met  there  in  October.  This  call 
met  with  a  fair  response  when  a  temporary  organization  was  affect- 
ed. Mr.  E.  P.  Schueler  of  Atchison  was  chosen  President;  Rev. 
I.  B.  Heisey,  of  Waterville,  Vice  President;  Mrs.  A.  S.  Harlan,  of 
Salina,  Secretary;  and  Mr.  A.  L.  Selig  of  Lawrence,  Treasurer. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution  and  report 
at  the  next  convention  of  the  synod  at  Topeka  in  the  fall  of  1894. 
The  Synod  again  endorsed  the  movement  and  assigned  the  evening 
and  a  day  preceding  the  opening  of  the  next  Synod  for  this  special 
effort. 


226  THE    LUTHER    LEAGUE   OF    KANSAS. 

The  next  fall  thirty-two  delegates  reported  at  Topeka  when  a 
constitution  was  adopted  and  a  permanent  organization  was  effect- 
ed. The  name  adopted  was,  "The  Luther  League  of  Kansas  and 
Kansas  Synod."  All  young  people's  societies  of  whatever  name, 
connected  with  a  Lutheran  church  or  college,  were  eligible  to  mem- 
bership. The  object  was  declared  to  be  to  encourage  the  formation 
of  young  people's  societies  (not  any  one  particular  kind),  stimulate 
the  societies  to  greater  activity,  to  assist  in  keeping  the  young  peo- 
ple confirmed  in  the  church  true  to  their  vows,  etc.  The  future  con- 
ventions were  to  be  held  annually.  At  the  close  of  the  convention 
Rev.  I.  B.  Heisey,  was  elected  President;  Mr.  Theodore  Sheffer, 
Miss  Bessie  Maxwell,  and  Mr.  D.  N.  Anderson,  Vice  Presidents; 
Mrs.  A.  S.  Harlan,  Secretary  and  Mr.  A.  L.  Selig,  Treasurer.  Dele- 
gates were  reported  from  the  churches  at  Abilene,  Atchison,  Barnes, 
Beloit,  Banner  City,  Chapman,  Emporia,  Eureka,  Hardy  (Neb.), 
Kansas  City,  First  and  Memorial,  Lawrence,  Leavenworth,  Minne- 
apolis, St.  Paul's  and  St.  John's,  Moray,  New  Cambria,  Norcatur, 
Ottawa,  Peabody,  St.  Joseph,  (Mo.),  Salina,  Topeka,  Valley  Falls, 
Vineland,  Waterville,  Wellington  and  Whitewater,  with  a  combined 
membership  of  960. 

Later  conventions  were  held  at  Abilene  in  1895  and  Lindsborg 
in  1896.  At  this  time  efforts  were  made  to  induce  the  Luther  Lea- 
gues of  the  Swedish  Augustana  churches  to  unite  with  the  organ- 
ization which  was  now  called  simply  "The  Luther  League  of  Kan- 
sas." This  met  with  fair  success.  However  during  1896-7  no  con- 
ventions were  held.  In  1900  a  good  convention  was  held  in  Topeka 
in  the  First  and  Swedish  churches  there.  In  1901  another  good 
convention  was  held  in  Abilene.  During  the  following  year  a  move- 
ment developed  in  the  Swedish  churches  to  hold  a  convention  strict- 
ly of  their  own.  This  was  held  in  Topeka  about  two  months  before 
the  next  united  convention  was  to  have  been  held  at  Osage  City  in 
the  Swedish  church  there.  The  Executive  Committee  finding  a  dis- 
position upon  the  part  of  Swedish  pastors  not  to  co-operate  in  the 
making  of  the  program,  the  Osage  convention  was  withdrawn. 
Since  then  the  Kansas  Synod  societies  have  not  held  any  conven- 
tions aside  from  having  their  work  presented  at  several  of  the 
spring  conferences  in  a  half-day  session.  For  the  late  reports  of 
the  young  people's  work  see  the  parochial  tables  of  Kansas  Synod 
in  another  part  of  this  volume. 


KANSAS  SYNOD  AND  TEMPERANCE   LEGISLATION.  227 

KANSAS   SYNOD    AND   TEMPERANCE 
LEGISLATION. 

The  records  of  Kansas  Synod  have  always  shown  a  decided  op- 
position to  the  liquor  traffic  and  a  strong  leaning  in  favor  of  prohi- 
bition as  a  constitutional  provision.  While  now  and  then  a  pastor 
would  be  found  to  be  lukewarm  on  the  latter  subject,  the  Synod 
as  a  body  has  always  been  in  line  with  the  Protestant  churches  in 
the  fight  for  State  Prohibition.  The  first  formal  resolution  was 
passed  in  1869,  at  its  second  annual  convention,  as  follows: 

Whereas,  Intemperance  is  a  great  and  growing  evil,  extending 
its  baneful  influence  to  all  conditions  of  society,  bringing  sorrow 
and  affliction  upon  the  innocent,  reducing  its  victims  to  wretched- 
ness and  want  here,  and  eternal  misery  and  ruin  hereafter,  there- 
fore, 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  Synod  that  the  Scriptural 
doctrine  with  reference  to  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  is  total 
abstinence  as  a  beverage  and  that  we  as  ministers  of  the  truth  in- 
culcate the  same  from  the  pulpit,  through  our  Sunday  schools,  and 
by  all  wise  and  proper  measures,  seek  to  promote  the  same  results. 

In  1870  other  resolutions  were  passed  in  which  the  Synod  took 
"The  high  and  only  position,  that  of  total  abstinence  from  the  use 
of  all  intoxicating  liquors  as  a  beverage,"  and  it  further  resolved 
that  its  ministers  use  every  means  to  prevent  the  increase  of  this 
crying  evil,  and  call  upon  all  Christian  friends  of  humanity  to 
unite  their  efforts  to  the  same  end. 

In  1871  the  former  sentiments  were  re-affirmed.  In  1873  it 
touched  the  subject  politically,  pledging  its  efforts  "in  firing  the 
temperance  reform  into  the  political  arena  and  there  defending  and 
sustaining  it  until  the  triumph  is  complete."  In  1877  the  Synod 
set  apart  an  hour  for  the  consideration  of  temperance,  heartily  en- 
dorsing the  "Murphy  Movement"  which  was  then  sweeping  over 
the  land.  In  1879  the  state  legislature  yielding  to  the  persistent 
demands  of  the  people  voted  to  submit  an  amendment  to  the  state 
constitution  forever  prohibiting  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  in- 
toxicating liquors  as  a  beverage.  Among  the  most  influential  and 
successful  advocates  of  this  measure  in  the  Legislature  at  that  time 
was  Rev.  M.  J.  Firey,  a  member  from  Lyon  county,  who  did  much 
in  the  way  of  preparing  the  Legislature  for  the  movement.  At  the 
fall  convention  of  Kansas  Synod,  seventeen  days  before  the  elec- 


228  THE    PROHIBITION    CONSTITUTIONAL   AMENDMENT. 

tion  at  which  this  amendment  was  to  be  voted  upon,  the    Synod 
adopted  the  following  pointed  resolution: 

Resolved,  That  the  rum  traffic  is  the  prolific  source  of  most  of 
the  crimes  committed  in  this  country,  and  the  source  from  which 
the  poor  house,  the  asylums  and  our  penitentiaries  are  filled,  and 
one  of  the  greatest  hindrances  to  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  There- 
fore, 

Resolved,  That  this  Synod  recommend  that  each  of  its  ministers 
preach  at  least  one  sermon  before  the  vote  is  taken  in  November 
on  the  proposed  amendment,  ....  and  that  we  urge  our  peo- 
ple to  use  all  possible  means  in  suppressing  this  nefarious  traffic. 

The  amendment  was  carried  by  a  majority  of  7,998  votes.  When 
following  the  adoption  a  movement  was  instituted  to  over-ride  the 
constitution,  the  traffic  dying  hard,  the  Synod  again  adopted  strong 
resolutions  calling  for  the  enforcement  of  law.  During  the  score 
of  years  after  the  adoption  of  constitutional  prohibition,  the  Synod 
again  and  again  declared  itself,  and  later  when  the  movement  was 
started  to  have  the  question  re-submitted,  the  synodical  declara- 
tions evince  no  middle  ground  in  planting  itself  against  the  obnox- 
ious proposition. 

In  the  great  fight  which  secured  the  adoption  of  the  amendment 
referred  to,  no  Lutheran  minister  in  the  state  proved  himself  such 
an  efficient  helper  as  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee.  At  that  time  he  was  re- 
siding in  Leavenworth  and  engaged  in  a  business  which  permitted 
much  personal  freedom,  and  when  the  time  came  for  action  he 
plunged  into  the  battle  with  his  whole  soul.  He  asked  from  the- 
Santa  Fe  railroad  free  transportation  which  was  granted,  and  then 
he  went  up  and  down  the  state,  at  his  own  expense,  speaking  in- 
cessantly in  favor  of  the  amendment.  Few  clergymen  of  any  de- 
nomination worked  more  heroically  than  he.  It  was  the  one  reform 
above  all  others  in  which  he  was  interested,  and  as  the  opportunity 
presented  itself,  he  left  no  stone  unturned  to  bring  about  the  end 
for  which  he  pleaded.  The  final  victory  constituted  one  of  the 
crowning  experiences  of  his  life  and  placed  him  among  the  pioneer 
heroes  of  Kansas  in  effecting  prohibitory  legislation  under  which 
the  state  has  prospered  and  profited  for  the  past  quarter  century. 


CARTHAGE   COLLEGE.  229 

KANSAS    LUTHERAN    EDUCATIONAL 
INSTITUTIONS. 

CARTHAGE  COLLEGE. 

The  earliest  official  recognition  of  any  of  our  educational  institu- 
tions by  Kansas  Synod  was  at  its  first  session  in  Topeka  in  1868, 
when  a  communication  was  read  from  an  official  of  Mendota  Col- 
lege, located  at  Mendota,  Illinois,  an  institution  somewhat  related 
to  the  Synods  of  that  state,  asking  financial  aid  from  the  newly  or- 
ganized synod.  It  was  regretted  by  the  Synod,  that,  owing  to  the 
numerous  and  imperious  demands  for  money  in  the  establishing 
of  churches  in  this  territory,  very  little  financial  aid  could  be  prom- 
ised for  a  while  at  least.  The  failure  of  the  Mendota  College  soon 
after  that  divorced  Kansas  Synod  from  any  effort  looking  toward 
any  material  union  with  that  institution  either  in  the  way  of  money, 
or  in  being  represented  on  its  board  of  trustees. 

The  organization  of  Carthage  College,  located  at  Carthage,  Illi- 
nois, in  the  fall  of  1870,  under  the  conduct  of  Prof.  L.  F.  M.  Easter- 
day,  brought  an  educational  institution  much  nearer  to  Kansas. 
Kansas  Synod  at  once  decided  to  co-operate  and  elected  two  of  its 
members  to  represent  it  on  the  Board  of  Trustees.  In  this  move- 
ment the  Synods  of  Kansas,  Iowa,  Nebraska,  Northern  Illinois, 
Southern  Illinois,  and  Central  Illinois,  co-operated.  -In  the  distri- 
bution of  the  shares  of  capital  stock  of  the  college,  representing  a 
nominal  value  of  $18,000,  Kansas  Synod  received  forty-two  shares, 
as  did  likewise  Nebraska  Synod,  the  remainder  of  the  180  shares 
being  distributed  among  the  Iowa  and  the  three  Illinois  Synods. 
Kansas  Synod  elected  Rev.  S.  P.  Harrington,  Rev.  M.  J.  Firey  and 
Mr.  J.  H.  Schell  as  its  first  trustees,  co-operating  from  the  first  in 
contributing  money  for  its  contingent  fund  and  its  sons  for  the  in- 
stitution. This  it  continued  till  1888.  However  upon  the  incorpor- 
ation of  Midland  College,  in  1886,  by  ther  Board  of  Education  of 
the  General  Synod,  thus  founding  an  educational  institution  upon 
the  territory  west  of  the  Missouri  river,  the  synods  of  Kansas  and 
Nebraska  transferred  their  stock,  consisting  of  eighty  four  shares, 
through  their  respective  attorneys,  to  the  Synod  of  Iowa  and  the 
three  Illinois  synods,  in  proportion  to  the  amount  then  held  by  each 
of  these  synods.  After  this  was  done,  and  duly  reported  by  the 
Kansas  Synod  trustees,  the  latter  were  discontinued,  and  Kansas 
Synod's  relation  to  Carthage  College,  in  an  official  way,  ceased: 


230 


MIDLAND   COLLEGE. 


MIDLAND  COLLEGE. 
Scarcity  of  men  for  the  ministry  willing  to  work  in  the  great  and 
growing  fields  of  the  West,  as  well  as  Lutheran  facilities  for  the 
collegiate  education  of  our  children  in  this  section,  gave  birth  to 
the  cry  for  a  college  west  of  the  Missouri  river,  a  cry  which  was 
heard  at  every  convention  of  our  western  synods  early  in  the  eight- 
ies. The  creation  of  the  Board  of  Education  by  the  General  Synod 
at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  in  1885,  made  this  object  possible.  This  Board 
held  its  first  meeting  in  Kansas  City  on  the  10th  of  November, 
1885,  electing  Rev.  M.  Rhodes,  D.  D.,  President,  Rev.  J.  S.  Det- 
weiler,  Secretary,  and  Hon.  Geo.  H.  Maish,  Treasurer,  the  other 
members  being  Mr.  Robert  Weidensall,  Mr.  Augutus  Kountze,  Rev. 
J.  H.  Culler,  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz,  Rev.  L.  M.  Heilman  and  Rev.  T.  F. 
Dornblaser.  Through  the  observations  and  travels  of  Rev.  Samuel 
B.  Barnitz,  a  member  of  this  Board  and  then  Western  Secretary 
of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions,  quite  a  number  of  desirable  loca- 
tions were  suggested.  At  the  meeting  of  the  General  Synod  at 
Omaha  in  the  spring  of  1887,  liberal  propositions  for  the  location 
of  a  college  were  made  by  the  cities  of  Grand  Island,  Beatrice  and 
Lincoln,  Nebraska,  and  Beloit,  Topeka,  Parsons,  Leavenworth,  Min- 
neapolis and  Atchison,  Kansas.     The  propositions  of  Atchison  and 


REV.  J.  A.  CLUTZ,  D.  D. 


REV.  M.   F.  TROXELL,  D.   D. 


MIDLAND  COLLEGE.  231 

Beatrice  were  regarded  with  most  favor,  and  the  matter  of  choice 
was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Board  of  Education,  with  instruc- 
tions to  proceed  at  once  to  found  a  college  in  the  West  and  to  go 
before  the  entire  church  for  the  help  necessary  to  sustain  it.  The 
Board  as  nominated  at  this  convention  consisted  of  Revs.  M. 
Rhodes,  D.  D.,  S.  B.  Barnitz,  J.  S.  Detweiler  and  F.  D.  Altman  and 
Messrs  Augustus  Kountze,  Robert  Weidensall,  Dr.  J.  E.  Herbst 
and  Hon.  Amos  Miller. 

This  Board  carefully  canvassed  the  matter  of  location,  consider- 
ing the  best  point  relative  to  the  location  of  our  churches,  the  dis- 
tance from  competing  institutions,  facilities  for  access,  moral  sur- 
roundings, patronage,  future  prospects,  as  well  as  the  tempting 
material  offers.  The  choice  fell  upon  Atchison,  which  had  offered 
to  give  $50,000  for  buildings,  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Highland 
Park  for  a  campus,  five  acres  for  professors'  homes,  a  half  inter- 
est in  the  sale  of  500  acres  of  land,  and  a  promise  of  200  students. 
The  twenty-five  acres  of  land  were  donated  at  once  to  the  Board. 
During  the  summer  of  1887  a  faculty  was  selected  consisting  of 
Rev.  M.  Rhodes,  D.  D.,  President  pro  tern,  Rev.  W.  H.  Wynn,  Ph. 
D.,  Rev.  W.  B.  Glanding,  Rev.  J.  S.  Detweiler,  Mr.  E.  S.  Earhart, 
Mr.  F.  A.  Lemme,  Gertrude  Dubois  Wynn,  Miss  Phoebe  Clark  and 
Mrs.  Harriet  E.  Monroe.  The  Atchison  Institute  building  was  fitted 
up  temporarily,  and  on  the  15th  of  September  the  college  was 
opened  formally  for  the  reception  of  students. 

The  opening  program  really  began  on  the  Sunday  previous  when 
a  half  dozen  of  the  city  pulpits  were  filled  by  Lutheran  ministers 
and  in  the  evening  at  an  immense  union  service  held  in  the  Presby- 
terian church,  Dr.  M.  Rhodes  delivered  an  impressive  sermon  on, 
"Midland  College,  the  Grounds  of  Its  Claim." 

On  Monday,  Mrs.  Monroe  gave  a  reception  to  the  Faculty  and 
Board  of  Education,  when  brief  addresses  were  made  by  Dr. 
Rhodes,  Mrs.  Monroe,  Revs.  Barnitz,  Altman  and  Cromer,  Mrs. 
Judge  Webb  and  others.  A  union  prayer  service  for  Midland  was 
held  on  Wednesday  evening  in  the  Congregational  church.  Prayer 
seemed  to  fittingly  prepare  for  the  opening  of  the  college  on  the 
following  day  when  the  Institute  room  was  crowded  to  its  utmost 
capacity.  The  greatest  enthusiasm  prevailed.  The  beautiful  order 
of  service  of  the  Lutheran  church  was  used  in  the  introduction  of 
the  exercises  led  by  Dr.  Rhodes.  Remarks  were  made  by  Revs. 
Barnitz,  Detweiler  and  Profs.  Wynn  and  Glanding.  Letters  of  con- 
gratulation were  read  from  Dr.  Conrad  of  the  Lutheran  Observer, 
Dr.  Singley  of  the  Lutheran  Evangelist,     Dr.  H.  L.     Baugher,  of 


232  MIDLAND  COLLEGE. 

Gettysburg  College,  Prof.  E.  F.  Bartholemew  President  of  Carth- 
age College,  Chancellor  Lippincott  of  Kansas  State  University,  the 
Presidents  of  the  synods  of  Kansas,  Iowa,  and  Nebraska,  and  many 
others. 

The  opening  of  the  college  was  all  that  could  have  been  expected, 
there  being  enrolled  during  the  first  year  a  total  of  101  students, 
with  twelve  in  the  Freshman  class.  The  institution  was  given  its 
own  Board  of  Trustees,  two-thirds  of  whom  had  to  be  members  of 
the  Lutheran  church.  This  body  was  self-perpetuating.  Later 
there  were  added  two  trustees  from  the  Alumni  Association,  and 
two  from  each  of  the  Lutheran  Synods  of  Kansas,  Nebraska,  and 
German  Nebraska,  and  one  from  the  Rocky  Mountain  Synod.  The 
Board  of  Trustees  was  organized  by  the  election  of  Rev.  S.  B. 
Barnitz,  President;  Senator  A.  J.  Harwi,  Vice  President;  Rev.  F. 
D.  Altman,  Secretary;  and  J.  H.  Berlin,  Treasurer.  The  future  of 
Midland  seemed  bright  and  most  promising. 

The  first  serious  hitch  in  the  completion  of  the  arrangements  for 
the  erection  of  a  building  occurred  when  it  was  learned  that  the 
promised  $50,000  from  the  city  of  Atchison  would  have  to  be  raised 
by  tax  levy,  the  very  payment  of  which  in  law  would  have  to  be 
entirely  voluntary  on  the  part  of  the  tax  payer,  and  in  three  annual 
installments  at  that.  This  introduced  such  an  uncertain  factor  in 
the  securing  of  funds  that  the  Board  hesitated  very  much  in  going 
ahead  in  the  erection  of  the  college  building.  However  about  forty 
of  the  leading  business  men  of  the  city  had  previously  signed  a 
bond  agreeing  to  stand  back  of  the  city  in  the  payment  of  the 
promised  help,  and  the  tax  plea  was  their  method  of  raising  the 
money,  and  the  Board  accordingly  decided  to  leave  the  securing  of 
funds  with  them,  although  the  tax  idea  was  not  especially  pleasing 
to  the  Board.  After  the  original  Board  of  Trustees  had  been  in- 
corporated under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Kansas,  the  internal  man- 
agement of  the  college  was  formally  turned  over  to  them  in  March, 
1888,  by  the  Board  of  Education. 

The  location  of  the  grounds  was  all  that  could  be  desired,  sit- 
uated in  the  southern  suburbs  of  the  city  and  upon  a  high  bluff  of 
the  Missouri  river,  overlooking  the  city  itself  and  many  square 
miles  of  picturesque  scenery  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  On  this 
ground  the  first  building,  "Atchison  Hall,"  was  erected,  the  archi- 
tecture of  which  is  Roman-Gothic,  106  by  64  feet  in  ground  di- 
mensions and  four  stories  high,  costing  all  told  about  $28,000, 
which  was  entirely  paid  for  by  the  city  of  Atchison.  This  building 
contains  a  chapel,  six  recitation  rooms,  a  museum,  chemical  labor- 


MIDLAND  COLLEGE.  233 

atory,  two  libraries,  a  reading  room,  about  thirty  dormitory  rooms, 
and  a  presidents  office,  besides  some  basement  rooms,  and  is  heated 
by  steam  throughout.  It  was  formally  turned  over  to  the  college 
in  the  spring  of  1889.  This  structure  is  a  noble  monument  to  the 
liberality  and  interest  of  the  citizens  of  Atchison.  The  equipment 
and  furnishings  were  supplied  largely  by  the  congregations  on  the 
territory.  Meanwhile  owing  to  the  collapse  of  the  boom  which  had 
been  prevailing  in  the  city,  the  latter  pleaded  inability  to  raise  the 
balance  of  the  $50,000  it  had  promised  the  college.  The  Board 
finally  agreed  to  remit  this  under  certain  conditions  and  limitations. 
During  the  first  two  years  the  affairs  of  the  college  were  directed 
by  Dr.  W.  H.  Wynn  as  acting  president.  In  the  meantime  the 
Board  elected  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz  to  the  Presidency,  believing  his 
capabilities  fitting  him  eminently  for  the  office,  especially  in  the 
beginning  when  the  raising  of  money  was  such  a  positive  factor. 
Mr.  Barnitz  did  not  see  it  so  and  frankly  pleaded  that  he  was  not 
fitted  to  take  the  responsible  position.  In  the  spring  of  1889  the 
Board  of  Trustees  unanimously  elected  Rev.  Jacob  A.  Clutz,  D.  D., 
then  General  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions,  President 
of  the  college,  and  on  the  1st  of  August  he  assumed  full  charge. 

The  informal  opening  of  the  new  building  took  place  on  the  10th 
of  January,  1889,  when  a  stream  of  visitors  poured  through  the 
building  all  day  long.  Various  rooms  in  the  building  had  been 
furnished  by  churches  and  individuals,  this  having  been  done  large- 
ly through  the  activity  of  Secretary  M.  F.  Troxell  of  the  Board  of 
Education.  The  formal  dedicatory  services  began  on  Monday,  Sep- 
tember 30th,  when  representatives  from  the  Synods  of  Iowa,  Ne- 
braska and  Kansas  assembled  for  prayer  and  conference  on  behalf 
of  new  Midland,  the  meeting  being  led  by  Rev.  W.  M.  Sparr.  The 
occasion  was  livened  by  the  presence  of  Kansas  Synod  which 
opened  its  Twenty-second  Convention  in  Atchison  at  the  same  time. 
The  dedication  proper  took  place  on  Tuesday.  A  special  service 
of  prayer  was  held  at  the  Lutheran  church  at  11  a.  m.  At  2  p.  m. 
the  formal  dedicatory  service  was  begun  in  the  Presbyterian  church, 
Rev.  M.  Rhodes,  D.  D.,  presiding.  Rev.  F.  W.  Conrad,  D.  D.,  LL. 
D.,  delivered  the  address,  a  scholarly  and  eloquent  presentation, 
emphasizing  the  true  elements  of  education.  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz 
read  a  large  number  of  telegrams  and  letters  of  congratulation. 
Following  this  the  audience  formed  in  line  and  marched  to  the  col- 
lege building  in  Highland  Park,  where  the  special  service  of  dedi- 
cation was  conducted  by  Rev.  J.  S.  Detweiler,  President  of  the 
Board   of   Education.     Short  addresses  were   made  by   Mr.   A.  J. 


234 


MIDLAND   COLLEGE. 


Harwi,  Rev.  M.  F.  Troxell,  Rev.  S.  B.  Barnitz,  and  Hon.  John  J. 
Ingalls.  A  dedicatory  poem  written  by  Rev.  M.  Sheeleigh,  D.  D., 
was  read,  which  was  followed  by  kind  letters  from  many  promin- 
ent officials  and  citizens,  including  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  the  Chief  of  the  National  Bureau  of  Education,  and  the 


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Governors  of  Kansas,  Iowa,  Nebraska  and  Missouri.  In  the  even- 
ing the  Annual  Convention  of  Kansas  Synod  met  in  St.  Mark's 
church.  Dr.  Conrad  preached  the  opening  sermon  at  the  special 
request  of  the  President,  and  afterward,  Rev.  Jacob  A.  Clutz,  D. 
D.,  the  newly  elected  President  of  Midland  was  formally  installed, 
the  charge  being  delivered  by  Rev.  F.  D.  Altman,  and  the  obliga- 
tion read  by  Rev.  George  D.  Gotwald,  President  and  Secretary  re- 
spectively of  the  Board  of  Midland  Trustees. 

Dr.  Clutz  set  himself  to  the  task  of  getting  the  college  on  a  good 
footing,  laboring  incessantly,  with  much  sacrifice  and  toil,  until  he 
began  to  see  order  coming  out  of  chaos.  For  fourteen  and  one-half 
years  he  filled  this  responsible  position  during  which  time  he  tided 
the  college  through  many  most  discouraging  and  trying  experiences, 
laying  the  foundations  well  and  preparing  the  way  for  future  sue- 


MIDLAND  COLLEGE. 


235 


cesses.  Indeed  many  of  the  bequests  which  came  to  the  college 
after  his  departure  from  the  institution  were  secured  during  his 
administration,  and  the  same  can  be  said  as  to  quite  a  number  of 
students.  Dr.  Clutz  resigned  on  the  31st  of  January,  1904,  to  be- 
come pastor  of  St.  James'  Lutheran  church  of  Gettysburg,  Pennsyl- 
vania. During  the  last  four  years  of  his  Presidency  the  college 
was  represented  in  the  field  by  Rev.  J.  N.  Lentz,  as  General  Solic- 
itor. Rev.  Lentz  did  splendid  work  for  the  college  in  securing 
money  and  students.  Not  only  was  much  of  the  money  for  the 
annex  to  Oak  Hall  raised  by  him  but  he  secured  the  promise  of  a 


MIDLAND  COLLEGE  MAIN   BUILDING  AND  TENNIS  GROUND. 


number  of  legacies  from  which  the  college  some  day  will  reap  con- 
siderable benefit.  Dr.  Clutz  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  M.  F.  Troxell, 
D.  D.,  who  had  been  the  first  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education 
in  the  days  of  the  early  development  of  the  institution.  Dr.  Troxell 
took  charge  during  the  mid-summer  vacation  of  1904,  and  is  the 
present  incumbent. 

Oak  Hall,  a  dormitory  for  girls,  was  erected  in  1891,  to  which 
an  annex  was  added  ten  years  later,  the  completed  building  costing 
about  $10,000,  and  having  accommodations  for  thirty  young  ladies. 
In  1893  a  fine  Gymnasium  was  erected  mainly  through  the  efforts 


236  MIDLAND   COLLEGE. 

of  the  students  and  at  a  cost  of  $2,000.  In  1899  an  excellent  six 
inch  refracting  telescope  was  installed  in  a  wooden  observatory 
erected  for  the  same,  through  the  efforts  of  Dr.  Clutz  among  per- 
sonal friends  in  the  East.  Five  professors  houses  have  privately 
been  built  in  close  proximity  to  the  campus.  That  erected  by  Dr. 
Clutz  was  purchased  as  a  permanent  President's  home  for  $4,000, 
of  which  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Clutz  had  donated  $500. 

Along  with  Dr.  Barnitz,  among  those  who  took  a  deep  and  abid- 
ing interest  in  the  founding  of  a  Lutheran  college  on  western  soil, 
was  Rev.  George  D.  Gotwald,  who  shortly  before  the  establishing 
of  Midland  had  graduated  from  Gettysburg  Theological  Seminary, 
and  promptly  chose  the  Kansas  frontier  as  his  field  of  labor,  locat- 
ing at  Salina.  He  at  once  became  intensely  interested  in  the  col- 
lege, was  chosen  Secretary  of  its  Board  of  Trustees,  and  was  soon 
carrying  his  "Beloved  Midland"  on  his  heart  night  and  day.  It 
found  always  an  inmost  place  in  his  prayers,  labors  and  gifts.  He 
firmly  believed  that  the  founding  of  this  institution  was  an  abso- 
lute necessity  for  the  welfare  and  advancement  of  our  church  in 
this  section.  When  the  responses  for  its  support  did  not  come  in 
as  he  felt  they  should  he  became  worried.  In  conversation  with  the 
President  of  the  college  and  the  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
in  1889,  he  expressed  the  desire  to  do  something  for  the  Institu- 
tion. He  did  not  wish  to  take  any  funds  from  his  wife's  estate, 
but  thought  he  might  take  out  endowment  policies  on  his  life,  hav- 
ing them  mature  in  twenty  years,  and  be  able  to  keep  up  the  prem- 
iums. In  this  his  wife  heartily  joined  him.  He  accordingly  placed 
two  such  policies  on  his  life  of  $12,000  each.  In  accordance  with 
this  thought  he  made  his  will,  bequeathing  this  insurance  to  the 
College  for  the  purpose  of  endowing  the  President's  chair.  It  was 
simply  a  wise  foresight  on  his  part.  At  the  time  the  thought  was 
expressed  by  those  of  the  college  about  him  that  his  life  would  be 
more  valuable  to  the  Institution  than  the  money,  and  the  hope  was 
entertained  that  he  would  live  to  see  the  policies  mature  and  be 
able  himself  to  hand  over  the  funds.  When  his  sickness  which 
proved  fatal  was  upon  him,  and  something  was  mentioned  about 
the  College,  he  said  to  his  wife,  "Maybe  it  will  be  better  for  Mid- 
land if  I  die  than  if  I  live."  On  the  12th  of  January,  five  months 
after  he  had  taken  out  the  policies,  after  a  brief  illness  from  pneu- 
monia, he  passed  away.  The  splendid  bequest  was  duly  paid  over 
to  the  college.  In  this  noble  and  thoughtful  act  this  sainted  brother 
has  engrossed  his  name  in  letters  of  love  upon  the  pages  of  Mid- 
land's history  and  he  will  ever  be  remembered  as  a  friend  indeed 


MIDLAND  COLLEGE. 


237 


because  he  was  a  friend  in  the  time  of  need.  At  the  present  time 
the  productive  endowment  of  the  college  amounts  to  $37,000.  Ninety 
graduates  have  gone  forth  from  the  institution,  twenty  of  whom 
have  entered  the  ministry,  and  practically  all  of  these  have  located 
in  the  West,  besides  a  number  of  other  young  men  now  in  the  min- 
istry who  took  partial  courses  in  the  college.  A  larger  number  have 
graduated  from  the  Academic,  Musical  and  other  departments  of 
the  institution.  Many  young  women  as  well  as  young  men  have 
graduated  from  all  the  various  departments  of  Midland. 

At  present  the  college  has  an  enrollment  of  175.     It  embraces 


SECTIONS  OF  THE  LIBRARY. 


a  Collegiate,  Academic,  Elocutionary,  Music,  both  instrumentation 
and  voice,  and  Domestic  Science  departments.  It  has  been  enrolled 
among  the  Kansas  colleges  whose  graduates,  provided  they  take 
the  prescribed  course  in  pedagogy,  are  entitled  to  state  certificates 
to  teach  without  examination.  The  present  faculty  consists  of  Rev. 
M.  F.  Troxell,  D.  D.,  President  and  Professor  of  Philosophy  and 
Christian  Evidences;  Rev.  J.  H.  Stough,  Ph.  D.,  Professor  of  Greek 
and  Latin;  Rev.  Carl  Kreuger,  Professor  of  German  and  French; 
Mr.  Robert  J.  Peters,  A.  M.,  Professor  of  English  Literature;  Mr. 


238 


MIDLAND   COLLEGE. 


Wm.  E.  Anderson,  A.  M.,  Professor  of  Mathematics  and  Astron- 
omy; Mr.  D.  W.  Crouse,  A.  M.,  Professor  of  the  Natural  Sciences; 
Mr.  Harold  W.  Focht,  A.  M.,  Principal  Preparatory  Department; 
Miss  Mary  Levinah  Murray,  B.  L.,  Instructor  in  the  Academy  and 
head  of  department  of  Public  Speaking;  Miss  Elizabeth  Martin,  A. 
B.,  Academy  Instructor  in  Science  and  Mathematics;  Miss  Maria 
Linley,  Instructor  in  Domestic  Science;  William  Davies,  Instructor 
on  Piano,  Organ  and  Harmony;  Mr.  John  H.  Davies,  Instructor  in 
Violin  and  Cornet;  Miss  Lucile  McAfee,  Instructor  in  Vocal  Music; 
Prof.  H.  W.  Focht,  A.  M.,  Military  Drill  and  Tactics;  Miss  Mary 
L.  Murray,  B.  L.,  Instructor  in  Physical  Culture. 


MIDLAND  COLLEGE  CAMPUS. 


Midland  ranks  high  among  the  colleges  of  Kansas  as  a  school 
of  unusual  ability  and  success.  It  strongly  appeals  to  our  Luth- 
eran constituents  in  the  great  Missouri  Valley  for  encouragement 
and  support  in  both  material  aid  and  students.  Our  young  people 
will  find  its  courses  of  study  adapted  to  the  needs  of  higher  educa- 
tion. At  present  the  college  is  on  the  up-grade  and  the  outlook  is 
more  promising  year  by  year  for  growth  and  increased  endowment 
and  equipment.  Under  the  present  administration  a  new  professor 
has  been  added  to  the  faculty  by  the  division  of  one  of  the  chairs, 
two  departments  have  been  added,  full  recognition  of  the  work  done 
has  been  secured  from  the  state  board  of  education  for  the  benefit 


BETHANY   COLLEGE. 


239 


of  teachers,  and  $30,000  has  been  added  to  the  value  of  the  col- 
lege plant,  half  of  it  for  a  library  building  and  half  for  endowment, 
the  building  being  donated  by  Mr.  Andrew  Carnegie,  on  the  condi- 
tion that  a  similar  amount  $15,000  be  raised  to  maintain  it.  This 
affords  a  fine  home  for  the  institution  library  of  6000  volumes. 


1      pi  \  &      -• 

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MIDLAND  COLLEGE  CADETS. 


BETHANY  COLLEGE. 

The  cause  of  Christian  education  has  always  been  one  of  prime 
concern  to  that  body  of  our  citizens  that  hail  from  Lutheran 
Sweden.  The  establishment  of  parochial  schools  for  the  religious 
nurture  of  the  children  has  been  coincident  with  the  organization 
of  churches  in  new  territory.  The  necessity  of  training  its  own 
ministry  independent  of  the  Fatherland  early  became  a  question  of 
signal  importance  with  the  Swedish  Lutheran  immigrants.  It  is  a 
characteristic  fact  that  Augustana  College  and  Theological  Semin- 
ary, the  mother  institution  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Schools  in  the 
United  States  and  the  Augustana  Synod,  which  comprises  the  Luth- 
eran Churches  of  North  America,  date  their  existence  from  the 
same  year,  1861. 

In  the  sixties  and  seventies  several  Swedish  colonies  were  estab- 
lished throughout  the  state  of  Kansas.  To  these  people  the  need 
of  a  school  to  meet  the  special  requirements  of  the  Southwest  was 
quite  patent  and  from  the  time  of  their  coming  to  Kansas  the  sub- 
ject was  freely  discussed.    The  first  step  to  the  realization  of  this 


240  BETHANY  COLLEGE. 

plan  was  taken  in  1879  when  Bethany  Church  of  Lindsborg  set 
aside  a  tract  of  land,  which  should  be  used  for  educational  pur- 
poses. In  the  summer  of  that  year,  Rev.  Carl  Swensson,  at  that 
time  a  youth  of  twenty-two,  became  the  settled  pastor  of  Bethany 
Church  and  the  successor  of  Dr.  O.  Olsson,  who  had  been  called 
to  fill  a  Theological  Professorship  at  Augustana  College  and  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  With  the  zeal  that  belongs  to  early  manhood  and 
believing  firmly  in  the  future  of  the  Southwest,  he  immediately  set 
about  to  crystalize  the  plans  of  the  early  settlers  and  on  the  15th 
day  of  October,  1881,  without  funds,  without  Faculty  and  without 
the  required  facilities,  Bethany  Academy  was  launched.  During 
the  first  year  the  sessions  were  held  in  the  vestry  of  the  church  and 
the  instruction  imparted  by  Rev.  Swensson  and  Prof.  J.  A.  Udden, 
now  of  Rock  Island.  Not  a  single  student  reported  on  the  open- 
ing day.  Before  the  end  of  that  season,  however,  twenty-seven 
students  had  enrolled.  The  gross  receipts  were  $299  and  the  dis- 
bursements $277.  The  annual  budget  of  last  season  exceeded  $60,- 
000  and  the  enrollment  948.  The  Faculty  has  grown  from  two  per- 
sons to  a  teaching  force  of  50. 

In  the  spring  of  1882  an  old  Public  School  building  was  pur- 
chased from  the  city  and  moved  to  the  college  campus.  This  un- 
pretentious frame  structure  furnished  the  nucleus  of  the  plant,  now 
consisting  of  four  buildings,  well  equipped  with  the  necessary  ap- 
paratus and  valued  at  $200,000. 

The  institution  was  begun  as  a  private  venture,  but  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1882  it  received  its  first  Charter  and  the  McPherson  Dis- 
trict of  the  Kansas  Conference  assumed  control.  Two  years  later 
that  Conference  made  the  institution  its  own  and  has  since  stood 
responsible  for  the  undertaking.  This  church  body,  which  includes 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  communities  of  Kansas,  Colorado  and  Texas, 
has  during  a  quarter  of  a  century  raised  enormous  sums  for  the 
equipment  and  support  of  the  college.  In  1884  a  male  dormitory 
was  erected.  In  1887  the  Main  Building  followed.  In  point  of  at- 
tendance the  institution  had  grown  faster  than  its  financial  re- 
sources. The  new  buildings  together  with  existing  hard  times 
brought  the  College  into  an  indebtedness  of  about  $80,000.  Num- 
erous efforts  were  made  to  liquidate  this  indebtedness,  which  were 
only  partially  successful.  On  the  1st  of  January,  1906,  about 
$32,000  remained.  During  the  past  year  this  money  has  been 
raised  and  Bethany  College  begins  the  present  year  without  fin- 
ancial incumbrance.  Hon.  Frank  Nelson,  in  the  capacity  of  Fin- 
ancial Secretary,  deserves  in  the  first  place  the  credit  for  the  ac- 


BETHANY  COLLEGE. 


241 


complishment  of  this  task.  Through  the  generosity  of  Mr.  C.  A. 
Smith  of  Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  the  institution  has  an  endow- 
ment of  $50,000,  which  according  to  present  plans,  will  gradually 
be  increased  to  $175,000. 

The  original  intention  of  the  founder  was  a  school  to  supple- 
ment the  meager  educational  opportunities  of  the  Public  Schools 
of  the  early  days,  incidentally  to  train  teachers  for  service  in  the 
public  and  parochial  schools,  and  to  prepare  students  for  college. 
The  dearth  of  properly  trained  teachers  for  elementary  schools 
brought  the  normal  work  of  the  institution  into  the  foreground  and 
the  name  was  changed   to   Bethany   Normal   Institute,  afterwards 


REV.    CARL   SWENSSON,    PH.    D.,    D.    D. 


242 


BETHANY  COLLEGE. 


to  Bethany  College  and  Normal  Institute,  and  finally  to  Bethany 
College.  These  names  in  themselves  imply  the  changes  which  from 
time  to  time  took  place  in  the  policy  of  the  school.  To  the  original 
preparatory  school  the  four  collegiate  years  were  gradually  added 
and  in  1891  the  first  class  was  graduated  with  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
The  first  college  graduates  of  Bethany  were,  Ernest  F.  Pihlblad, 
Julius  Lincoln,  E.  Glad  and  John  Westerlund. 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  college  a  Music  Department  was  ad- 
ded, which  has  grown  into  Bethany  College  of  Music  and  Fine 
Arts,  and  is  recognized  as  the  strongest  institution  of  its  kind  in 
the  Southwest.  Its  faculty  consists  of  seventeen  teachers  and  the 
enrollment  last  year  was  about  400. 

Side  by  side  with  the 
Academy  a  Commercial 
Department  was  organ- 
ized to  meet  the  needs  of 
young  men  and  women, 
who,  at  the  most,  could 
spend  only  from  one  to 
two  years  on  their  edu- 
cation, and  whose  pur- 
pose in  life  was  a  busi- 
ness career.  From  time 
to  time  new  departments 
have  been  organized.  The 
institution  now  comprises 
twelve  distinct  depart- 
ments. 
A  sketch  of  Bethany  College  without  reference  to  the  character 
of  the  late  President  Swensson  will  be  quite  incomplete.  To  his 
dominant  and  versatile  personality  more  than  to  any  other  factor 
it  owes  its  unique  development.  Dr.  Revere  F.  Weidner,  President 
of  the  Chicago  Lutheran  Theological  Seminary,  applied  to  Presi- 
dent Swensson  at  his  funeral  the  statement  of  Paul,  "I  am  become 
all  things  to  all  men  that  I  may  by  all  means  save  some."  He  says, 
"These  words,  indeed,  describe  very  forcibly  the  character  of  our 
dear  brother,  who  lies  before  me.  But  he  is  still  living  and  of  all 
men  I  have  ever  known,  he  has  reminded  me  most  forcibly  of  St. 
Paul.  He  was  at  home  with  the  religious  and  was  also  at  home 
with  those  who  were  not  religious."  In  many  respects  President 
Swensson  was  a  pioneer  in  educational  matters,  as  far  as  these 
concerned   the   Swedish   Lutherans,   and   his   ideas,   though    often 


BBETHANY   COLLEGE. 


BETHANY  COLLEGE.  243 

severely  criticised  at  the  outset,  have  been  gradually  appropriated 
by  other  institutions  of  the  denomination.  To  the  fathers  the 
founding  of  an  institution  of  learning  implied  simply  the  training 
of  the  clergy.  Swensson  would  extend  his  influence  to  all  walks 
of  life,  realizing  that  if  we  as  Lutherans  should  exert  any  influence, 
an  educated  laity  was  as  necessary  as  an  educated  clergy.  To  him 
education  implied  preparation  for  life,  and  he,  therefore,  insisted 
upon  its  being  practical  and  effective  without  the  sacrifice  of  thor- 
oughness. Though  he  always  believed  in  the  traditional  classics 
as  mental  discipline,  he  urged  that  the  training  of  every  young  man 
and  woman  should  be  in  line  with  their  natural  tastes  and  ability, 
with  the  view  of  fitting  them  to  do  the  work  which  they  had  made 
their  own.  He  believed  in  the  Fine  Arts  as  the  handmaids  of  Chris- 
tianity. This  fact  explains  the  importance  that  is  attached  to  these 
at  Bethany  College. 

The  great  "Messiah"  festivals,  which  take  place  annually  at  the 
institution  and  which  attract  thousands  of  people  every  season, 
were  a  creation  of  his  spirit.  They  have  proven  a  potent  factor  in 
the  intellectual  and  artistic  uplifting  of  the  community  where  the 
institution  is  located. 

Though  dead  now  three  years,  President  Swensson's  influence 
remains  unabated  at  the  college  and  the  splendid  growth  of  the 
last  years  is  the  reaping  of  his  sowing. 

As  successor  to  Dr.  Carl  Swensson,  the  Conference  called  the 
Rev.  Ernest  F.  Pihlblad,  who  also  accepted.  Dr.  Pihlblad  is  a  grad- 
uate of  Bethany  College.  He  belonged  to  the  first  college  class. 
In  the  fall  of  1891  he  entered  the  Augustany  Seminary  at  Rock 
Island,  Illinois,  and  was  ordained  as  minister  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Synod  in  St.  Peter,  Minnesota,  1894.  His  first  charge  was  at  Pat- 
terson and  Passaic,  New  Jersey.  After  eighteen  months  of  labor 
in  this  field,  he  was  called  to  take  charge  of  the  Latin  Department 
at  Bethany  College.  He  accepted  the  position  and  at  the  same  time 
he  served  as  assistant  pastor  of  the  Bethany  church.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  was  Vice-President  of  Bethany  College  and  upon 
the  death  of  Dr.  Swensson,  he  was  immediately  elected  acting 
president.  The  Rev.  Prof.  Philblad  received  his  Master  of  Arts  in 
1895;  and  in  1906  Augustana  College  and  Theological  Seminary 
conferred  the  degree  Doctor  of  Divinity  upon  him. 

Rev.  A.  W.  Lindquist. 


244 


ST.   JOHNS   COLLEGE. 


ST.  JOHN'S  COLLEGE. 

The  Ev.  Lutheran  Synod  of  Missouri,  and  other  states  has  one 
college  in  Kansas,  The  St.  John's  Lutheran  College  located  at  "Win- 
field.  While  the  Missouri  Synod  was  not  the  first  to  enter  Kansas, 
at  the  present  time  it  has  more  churches  in  this  state  than  any  other, 
and  accordingly  it  felt  the  need  of  a  college  of  its  own  to  equip  its 
ministry  and  parochial  schools.  The  churches  were  mostly  poor 
and  the  founding  of  an  institution  of  learning  was  almost  a  forlorn 
hope  when  the  late  Mr.  John  Peter  Baden,  an  intelligent  and  large 
hearted  laymen,  came  to  the  rescue  and  offered  to  give  the  munifi- 
cent sum  of  $50,000  for  (he  purpose  of  founding  a  college  to  be  lo- 


st.  john's  college. 

cated  at  Winfield.  Mr.  Baden  was  a  prosperous  merchant  who 
dearly  loved  his  church  and  had  been  largely  instrumental  in  erect- 
ing a  Lutheran  church  and  parsonage  at  Winfield.  His  offer  was 
promptly  accepted,  and  in  June,  1893,  the  corner  stone  of  the  new 
college  was  laid  amid  much  rejoicing.  During  the  summer  of  the 
same  year  the  college  was  organized  and  a  faculty  elected  and  in 
September  the  first  enrollment  of  pupils  took  place  in  rented  quar- 
ters. By  the  1st  of  March,  1894,  the  new  building  was  completed 
and  duly  dedicated. 

The  building  is  a  fine  Gothic  stone  structure  60  by  100  feet,  three 
stories  high,  surmounted  in  the  center  with  a  tower  75  feet  high, 
and  with  a  good  basement  under  the  entire  building.  The  interior 
is  finished  in  hard  wood  and  divided  into  class  rooms,  study  rooms, 


st.  john's  college. 


245 


dormitories,  a  reading  room,  library  and  a  commodious  chapel  two 
stories  in  height.  In  the  basement  is  a  gymnasium,  laboratory,  lav- 
atory, baths  equipped  with  hot  and  cold  water,  a  dining  room  and 
a  kitchen.  It  is  heated  with  a  fine  hot  water  plant.  It  has  a  library 
of  2,000  volumes.  The  school  is  open  for  both  sexes.  It  offers 
three  complete  courses  of  study,  viz.  The  Ministerial  Course,  The 
Classical  Course,  and  the  Scientific  Course.     To  this  it  has  added 


MR.  JOHN   PETER  BADEN. 


PRESIDENT  A.  W.  MEYER. 


the  following  Departments:  Commercial,  Phonography  and  Type- 
writing, Music,  Oratory,  and  Correspondence  in  New  Testament 
Greek.  The  alumni  from  its  foundation  in  1893  number  97,  of 
whom  19  are  ministerial.  The  faculty  at  present  comprises  the 
following:  Rev.  A.  W.  Meyer,  President  and  Professor  of  Religion, 
Hebrew  and  Greek;  Rev.  H.  Stoeppelwerth,  Professor  of  Latin, 
German  and  History;  Rev.  Chas.  Scaer,  A.  M.,  Professor  of  Eng- 
lish and  Mental  Science;  Mr.  Lewis  Steiner,  B.  S.,  Professor  of 
Natural  Science  and  Mathematics;  Mr.  R.  Hilgendorf,  Professor 
of  Phonography;  Mr.  Th.  Talla,  Principal  Commercial  Department; 
Mr.  F.  L.  Gilson,  Professor  of  Elocution  and  Oratory.  The  college 
had  an  enrollment  for  the  year  of  1906  of  eighty.  It  has  no  debt, 
and  finds  its  support  mainly  among  the  German  Lutheran  congre- 
gations of  the  Kansas  District. 


246  WESTERN    THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY. 

Mr.  John  Peter  Baden  was  born  March  24th,  1851,  at  Elsdorf, 
Hanover,  Germany.  He  was  nurtured  in  a  Christian  school  and 
at  the  age  of  fifteen  came  to  this  country  locating  at  Hannibal,  Mo., 
where  he  went  to  school  mainly  to  acquire  the  English  language. 
Later  he  graduated  from  the  Jones'  Commercial  College  at  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  coming  to  Kansas  in  1870.  He  located  first  at  Colum- 
bus, then  at  Independence,  working  early  and  late  in  his  efforts  to 
save  his  first  thousand  dollars.  In  1879  he  located  at  Winfield 
opening  a  store.  Here  he  was  phenomenally  successful,  owning 
at  his  death  a  large  flouring  mill,  large  ice  plant  and  cold  storage 
building  and  other  interests.  He  died  suddenly  from  pneumonia 
on  the  3d  of  March,  1900,  deeply  mourned  by  all  who  knew  him. 
Mr.  Baden  was  exceedingly  liberal.  For  years  he  practically  main- 
tained the  Winfield  Lutheran  Church  and  the  College.  In  1898  he 
contributed  10,000  pounds  of  flour  to  the  starving  Cubans.  His 
benefactions  were  always  on  a  large  scale.  His  widow  and  two 
grown  sons  survive  him. 


THE  WESTERN  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY. 

The  need  of  a  Theological  Seminary  in  the  middle  West  became 
imperative  as  soon  as  our  mission  churches  began  to  be  planted 
to  any  great  extent  in  the  wide-spreading  Mississippi  and  Missouri 
valleys.  Ministers  born  and  educated  in  the  East  hesitated  to  ac- 
cept calls  to  our  necessarily  small  and  struggling  congregations  in 
the  West.  Occasionally  missions  had  to  be  abandoned  for  the  lack 
of  pastors  to  care  for  them.  Our  two  Western  Secretaries  became 
greatly  alarmed  and  accordingly  ceased  not  to  appeal  for  a  theo- 
logical seminary  located  on  this  territory  as  a  base  of  ministerial 
supplies. 

The  earliest  official  action  looking  towards  establishing  a  semin- 
ary in  the  West,  was  taken  at  the  great  Missionary  Convention  held 
at  Omaha,  Nebraska,  in  May,  1878,  when  the  positive  needs  of  the 
mighty  trans-Mississippi  country  were  spread  out  in  panoramic 
view  before  many  of  the  leading  men  of  the  East.  Here  it  was  re- 
solved that  three  synodical  missionary  secretaries  were  necessary, 
one  each,  for  the  Iowa,  Nebraska  and  Kansas  Synods.  Then  the 
lack  of  men  willing  to  work  in  this  new  field  was  apparent.  This 
prompted  the  following  action: 

"Resolved,  In  the  matter  of  schools  for  theological  instruction, 
we  record  it  as  our  conviction  that  while,  in  view  of  the  vast  ex- 


WESTERN    THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY.  247 

tent  of  our  territory,  two  seminaries  seem  to  be  needed  in  the  Gen- 
eral Synod — two  are  sufficient  if  they  are  properly  located.  It  is 
the  judgment  of  this  convention  that  one  of  our  schools  of  theology 
should  be  centrally  located  in  this  great  valley,  and  we,  therefore, 
respectfully  present  this  action,  as  a  memorial  to  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  the  seminary  located  at  Springfield,  Ohio,  requesting 
that  body  to  consider  at  an  early  date  the  feasibility  of  removing 
the  same  to  some  suitable  central  point  in  the  great  valley  of  the 
Mississippi." 

Kansas  Synod  that  fall  passed  a  similar  action.  Wittenberg  Sem- 
inary, however,  was  not  inclined  to  look  with  favor  upon  the  propo- 
sition. The  General  Synod  then  discussed  the  advisability  of  locat- 
ing a  seminary  in  Chicago,  and  invited  Wittenberg  Seminary  to 
consider  the  proposition  of  moving  to  Chicago.  The  Board  of  Di- 
rectors replied  that  there  were  legal  barriers  affecting  the  funds 
of  Wittenberg  College,  of  which  the  Seminary  was  a  department, 
that  rendered  it  impracticable  for  them  to  encourage  the  removal. 

The  whole  problem  seemed  to  be  most  providentially  solved  when 
Mr.  Augustus  Kountze,  on  July  1,  1889,  submitted  a  proposition 
to  the  Board  of  Education  for  the  founding  of  a  theological  semin- 
ary at  Omaha,  Nebraska,  agreeing  to  give  for  that  purpose  a  tract 
of  land  in  that  city  valued  at  $100,000.00  and  to  pay  in  cash  for 
endowment  $50,000.00,  provided  the  General  Synod  would  raise 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  two  thirds  of  which  should 
.be  used  for  a  building  and  the  remainder  set  apart  for  Endowment. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  General  Synod  in  Lebanon,  Pa.,  in  1891  an 
effort  was  made  on  the  floor  of  the  convention  to  meet  the  propo- 
sition, and  amid  considerable  enthusiasm  the  splendid  sum  of 
$20,710.00  was  subscribed.  The  Board  of  Education,  at  a  later 
date,  asked  Mr.  Kountze  to  submit  his  proposition  in  writing,  which 
he  did,  and  then  it  was  discovered  that  certain  conditions,  not  made 
public  before,  rendered  it  impossible  for  the  Board  to  accept  his 
proposition.  Pending  an  adjustment  of  the  differences  Mr.  Kountze 
suddenly  died,  and  the  enterprise  failed. 

The  Board,  however,  not  discouraged  by  these  adverse  circum- 
stances, decided  to  establish  a  Theological  Seminary  on  an  humble 
scale  at  Omaha  using  the  Kountze  Memorial  church  for  recitation 
rooms,  provided  a  suitable  man  could  be  secured  to  take  charge  of 
the  work.  The  way  not  being  clear  to  take  this  step  at  the  appoint- 
ed time,  another  plan  seemed  practicable  to  meet  the  emergency. 
Previous  to  this  time  theological  instruction  had  been  given  by 
some  of  the  professors  of  Midland  College,  which   prepared  the 


248  WESTERN    THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY. 

way  for  temporarily  locating  the  institution  at  Atchison,  Kansas. 
Arrangements  were  then  made  to  provide  for  theological  instruc- 
tion temporarily  at  Midland  College  under  the  direction  of  Presi- 
dent Clutz  and  the  Executive  Committee  of  its  Board  of  Trustees. 
The  teaching  was  done  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Clutz,  Rev.  J.  H.  Stough,  Ph. 
D.,  Rev.  W.  F.  Rentz  and  Rev.  Jacob  Schauer,  with  annual  lectures 
by  Dr.  M.  Rhodes  and  Prof.  W.  F.  Eyster,  D.  D.  During  the  second 
year  six  young  men  were  enrolled.  At  the  General  Synod  in  1895 
it  was  decided  to  continue  the  Seminary  at  Atchison  until  it  seemed 
best  to  locate  it  elsewhere,  and  three  thousand  dollars  were  raised 
by  special  subscriptions  to  pay  a  teacher  for  the  first  two  years. 
The  Board  following  the  instructions  of  the  General  Synod  duly 
organized  "The  Western  Theological  Seminary  of  the  General 
Synod,"  and  unanimously  elected  Rev.  F.  D.  Altman  of  Kansas 
City,  Mo.,  as  its  President.  The  founding  of  a  Theological  Semin- 
ary marked  a  most  important  epoch  in  our  church  and  educational 
work  on  this  territory.  The  installation  of  its  first  President  furn- 
ished an  opportunity  for  a  grand  rally  of  Lutheran  forces  at  Atch- 
ison. A  two  days  program  was  arranged,  and  Dr.  H.  L.  Baugher, 
of  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  President  of  the  General  Synod,  honored  the 
occasion  with  his  presence  and  made  the  opening  address  on  the 
subject,  "The  Lutheran  Church."  His  visit  was  greatly  appreciated 
and  added  much  to  the  inspiration  of  the  occasion.  Interesting  and 
instructive  addresses  were  made  on  "Our  Church  Work  in  the 
West;  its  Needs,  How  Best  to  Meet  Them;"  "Our  Educational 
Work  in  the  West  and  How  Best  to  Develop  it."  A  large  delega- 
tion of  visiting  friends,  ministers  and  laymen,  imparted  enthusiasm 
to  the  services.  The  feast  of  good  things  closed  on  the  evening  of 
November  13th,  1895  with  the  installation  proper.  Rev.  M.  Rhodes, 
D.  D.,  President  of  the  Board  of  Education,  delivered  an  address 
on  "The  Function  of  the  Christian  Teacher,"  gave  the  charge  to 
the  President-elect,  receiving  the  obligation  and  duly  installing  him, 
after  which  the  new  President  delivered  an  inaugural  address  on 
"The  Office  of  the  Christian  Preacher."  Under  the  new  admin- 
istration, Drs.  J.  A.  Clutz,  J.  H.  Stough  and  Rev.  W.  F.  Rentz  as- 
sisted in  teaching  in  the  seminary. 

The  General  Synod  at  its  convention  in  1897  by  resolution,  form- 
ally located  the  seminary  at  Atchison,  Kansas,  until  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Board  another  location  might  be  more  desirable.  At 
the  same  convention  of  the  General  Synod,  it  was  proposed -by  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  the  German  Theological  Seminary  of  Chi- 
cago to  transfer  their  property  to  the  Board  of  Education  for  the 


WESTERN    THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY. 


249 


use  of  the  contemplated  German  Department  of  the  Western  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  or  such  other  institution  as  might  be  a  agreed 
upon  by  the  Board.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Education  in 
August,  1898,  at  Dixon,  111.,  assurances  were  given  that  the  Wart- 
burg  and  German  Nebraska  Synods  would  support  a  Professor  in 
the  Western  Theological  Seminary.  A  German  Department  was 
accordingly  created  and  Rev.  J.  L.  Neve,  of  Bremen,  111.,  was  elect- 
ed professor  of  the  same.  The  German  Synods  approved  the 
choice  and  Prof.  Neve  accepted  the  call  to  the  new  work. 

On  September  23d,  1898  in  St.  Mark's  Lutheran  church,  Atch- 


REV.   F.  D.  ALTMAN,  D.   D. 

Dean  English  Department. 


REV.  J.   L.  NEVE,  D.   D. 

Dean  German  Department. 


ison,  in  the  presence  of  the  members  of  the  German  Nebraska 
Synod,  (then  in  session  at  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  having  adjourned  for 
the  purpose  of  attending  in  a  body)  and  representatives  of  the 
Wartburg  Synod  and  of  the  Board  of  Education,  the  second  regular 
professor  of  the  Western  Seminary  was  duly  installed  and  delivered 
his  inaugural  address. 

The  creation  of  the  German  Department  brought  to  the  Semin- 
ary young  men  from  Germany  anxious  to  prepare  for  the  special 


250  WESTERN    THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY. 

fields  of  missionary  activity  on  this  territory.  Pastor  C.  Jensen, 
President  of  the  theological  school  at  Breklum,  Germany,  made  a 
visit  to  Atchison,  and  spent  several  days  in  getting  acquainted  with 
the  teachers  and  in  carefully  examining  the  methods  of  work  and 
the  outlook  for  the  institution.  He  seemed  pleased  with  the  im- 
pression made  and  gave  assurance  that  he  would  do  all  in  his 
power  to  furnish  students  from  the  Breklum  Seminary  after 
their  graduation  there,  that  they  might  spend  at  least  a  year  or  two 
in  the  Seminary  at  Atchison.  He  has  been  faithful  to  his  promise 
and  Breklum  has  furnished  the  seminary  the  majority  of  students 
for  the  German  Department. 

With  the  increased  enrollment  of  students  and  the  growing  de- 
mands of  the  work  it  soon  became  evident  that  a  larger  teaching 
force  was  imperative.  On  September  26th,  1905,  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation elected  Rev.  Holmes  Dysinger,  D.  D.,  of  Vandergrift,  Pa., 
as  Professor  of  Exegetical  and  Practical  Theology  and  he  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  this  chair  November  6th,  1905.  On  May  23d, 
1906,  during  the  evening  session  of  the  Northeast  Conference  of 
the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Synod  of  Kansas  then  in  convention  at 
Atchison  in  St.  Mark's  Church,  Dr.  Dysinger  was  formally  installed. 
Dr.  A.  J.  Turkle  of  Allegheny,  Pa.,  delivered  the  charge  to  the  new 
new  Professor  upon  "Teaching  the  Bible."  Dr.  M.  Rhodes,  the 
President  of  the  Board  of  Education  administered  the  obligation, 
and  Dr.  Dysinger  delivered  his  inaugural  address  upon,  "The  He- 
brew Scriptures:  Their  Place  and  Function  in  Ministerial  Train- 
ing." 

Rev.  M.  F.  Troxell,  D.  D.,  the  successor  of  Dr.  J.  A.  Clutz,  as 
President  of  Midland  College,  has  been  continued  as  Professor  of 
Christian  Ethics. 

With  experience  and  close  observation  the  needs  of  the  field  have 
become  more  apparent,  and  it  has  been  the  aim  of  the  Seminary 
to  met  the  requirements.  The  Germans  needed  a  pro-seminary  de- 
partment where  they,  in  connection  with  Midland  College,  could 
give  such  preparatory  instruction  as  was  necessary  to  students  not 
ready  for  the  regular  seminary  course.  In  the  fall  of  1905,  Pro- 
fessor F.  Rohner  was  employed  as  an  assistant  in  the  German  de- 
partment and  pro-seminary  work  with  the  German  students.  At 
the  close  of  the  school  year  he  returned  to  Germany.  Rev.  A.  W. 
Hildebrandt  of  Greenfield,  Mass.,  was  called  as  instructor  of  the 
pro-seminary  department  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  posi- 
tion December  1,  1906. 

At  present  the  Seminary  has  about  $14,000.00  of  invested  endow- 


■JBUBBB 


252  WESTERN    THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY. 

ment  funds,  and  $3,000.00  of  scholarships.  The  late  Mr.  Elias 
Hahn  of  Owatonna,  Minn.,  gave  the  first  $1,000.00  for  a  scholar- 
ship in  honor  of  his  friend  and  early  acquaintance,  Rev.  David 
Harbaugh.  This  generous  friend  has  given  the  Seminary  all  told 
$4,500.00.  The  late  Rev.  Geo.  H.  Schnur,  Sr.,  deeply  interested  in 
the  new  seminary,  by  bequest,  left  $2,000.00  for  a  scholarship,  the 
interest  to  be  used  in  aiding  worthy  and  needy  young  men  in  their 
preparation  for  the  gospel  ministry.  Three  more  names  should 
have  a  place  on  the  roll  of  special  benefactors,  namely:  Rev.  J. 
G.  Groenmiller,  D.  D.,  of  Accident,  Md.  His  offering  was  $2,500.00. 
Mr.  Geo.  H.  Knollenberg  of  Richmond,  Ind.,  gave  $1,500.00.  Mr. 
J.  Conrad  Rice,  of  Elvira,  la.,  in  making  a  distribution  of  some  of 
his  means  during  his  life  time  remembered  the  school  with  a  draft 
for  $1,000.00.    These  gifts  were  for  endowment. 

In  its  early  years,  the  Seminary  has  had  some  difficulties  to  face 
and  some. hard  problems  to  solve,  and  it  has  sincerely  and  courag- 
eously tried  to  meet  the  former  and  afford  a  proper  solution  for  the 
latter.  The  first  great  task  was  to  furnish  supplies  for  the  many 
vacant  congregations  on  the  field  and  thus  strengthen  the  things 
that  remained.  The  second  undertaking  was  to  prepare  some  men 
to  canvass  and  open  up  new  and  promising  points  that  an  advance 
might  be  made  in  church  work  upon  the  territory.  The  third  em- 
barrassment was  to  equip  a  German-English  minister  to  hold  our 
Lutheran  element  in  its  transition  period  on  the  language  question. 
It  requires  patience  and  good  judgment  to  wisely  direct  with  these 
problems  pressing  for  solution,  and  time  alone  can  reveal  the 
strong  foundations  that  are  being  laid  for  our  theological  work  in 
the  middle  west.  God  has  signally  blessed  it.  The  concentration 
of  our  English  and  German  forces  will  encourage  mutual  sympathy 
and  confidence  by  affording  a  better  knowledge  of  one  another  and 
thus  strengthen  the  bond  of  cooperation.  With  this  year's  enroll- 
ment, 1906-1907  over  one  hundred  young  men  have  pursued  full 
or  partial  courses  of  study  in  the  Seminary.  Over  sixty  of  this 
number  have  regularly  graduated  and  are  serving  the  church,  with 
but  few  exceptions,  in  the  West.  Owing  to  the  urgent  calls  from 
the  field  some  were  compelled  to  accept  work  before  completing 
their  studies.     At  present  twenty-seven  students  are  enrolled. 

ARTICLES  OF  GOVERNMENT. 

We  give  a  few  of  the  important  Sections  of  the  Articles  of  Gov- 
ernment for  the  Western  Theological  Seminary. 


doctrinal  basis  and  government.  253 

Doctrinal  Basis. 

The  Doctrinal  Basis  of  the  Western  Seminary  shall  be  the  Doc- 
trinal Basis  of  the  General  Synod,  namely:  "We  receive  and  hold 
with  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  our  fathers  the  Word  of 
God,  as  contained  in  the  Canonical  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  as  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  the 
Augsburg  Confession  as  a  correct  exhibition  of  the  fundamental 
doctrines  of  the  Divine  Word,  and  of  the  Faith  of  our  Church 
founded  upon  that  Word,"  and  it  shall  be  the  abiding  purpose  of 
this  Seminary,  to  educate  men  for  the  Christian  Ministry  and  to 
provide  our  Churches  with  pastors,  in  harmony  with  the  above 
basis. 

Government. 

The  Board  shall  inspect  the  fidelity  of  the  professors,  as  well 
with  regard  to  the  doctrines  actually  taught,  as  to  the  manner  of 
teaching  them.  If  any  just  reason  be  given  them  to  suspect  either 
the  orthodoxy,  or  piety,  or  habitual  diligence,  or  capacity  of  the 
professor,  or  his  devotedness  to  the  Lutheran  Church,  it  shall  be 
their  sacred  duty  to  institute  an  investigation  at  the  next  regular 
meeting;  or,  if  deemed  necessary  by  the  Officers,  at  a  special  meet- 
ing. In  the  case  of  the  impeachment  of  any  professor,  notice  must 
be  served  upon  him  by  the  Board,  at  least  thirty  days  before  his 
trial. 

Departments. 

(a)  There  shall  be  an  English  Department,  a  German  Depart- 
ment, and  such  others  as  the  Board  may  in  the  future  establish. 
Each  Department  is  to  be  of  equal  and  co-ordinate  standing,  hav- 
ing its  own  Dean,  and  any  special  regulations  pertaining  to  matters 
peculiar  to  itself. 

(b)  The  President  of  the  Seminary  shall  be  Dean  of  the  English 
Department.  The  Dean  of  the  German  Department  shall  be  nom- 
inated by  the  German  Seminary  Committee.  The  Deans  shall  be 
charged  with  the  internal  administration  of  their  respective  De- 
partments; the  recommendation  of  students  for  admission  and  grad- 
uation; their  registration  and  classification;  the  arrangement  and 
co-ordination  of  the  courses  of  study;  and  the  government  and  dis- 
cipline of  the  students. 

Faculty. 

Every  theological  professor  shall,  on  his  inauguaration,  in  the 

presence  of  a  representative  of  the  Board,  make    the    following 

declaration:  "I  do  solemnly  declare,  in  the  presence  of  God  and 

this  Board,  that  I  do  sincerely  believe  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and 


254  the  seminary's  curriculum. 

New  Testaments  to  be  the  inspired  Word  of  God,  and  the  only  in- 
fallible rule  of  faith  and  practice;  and  I  believe  the  Augsburg  Con- 
fession to  be  a  correct  exhibition  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of 
the  Divine  Word,  and  of  the  faith  of  our  Church  founded  upon  that 
Word;  and  I  promise  to  teach  and  defend  these  doctrines  and  prin- 
ciples in  opposition  to  the  views  of  Atheists,  Deists,  Socinians,  Uni- 
tarians, Arians,  Universalists,  Antinomians,  Pelgians,  Anabaptists, 
Papists  and  all  other  errorists,  as  long  as  I  remain  a  professor  in 
this  Institution." 

Curriculum. 

(a)  The  regular  course  of  study  shall  embrace  the  following 
branches:  Propaedeutic,  Biblical  Introduction  and  Criticism,  Bib- 
lical Archaeology  and  Geography,  Hebrew,  New  Testament  Greek, 
English  Bible,  German,  Hermeneutics,  Church  History,  Biblical 
Theology  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  Hebrew  and  Greek  Exe- 
gesis, History  of  Doctrine,  Systematic  Theology,  Ethics,  Homiletics, 
Pastoral  Theology,  Church  Polity,  Catechetics,  Symbolics,  Litur- 
gies, Missions,  Sunday  Schools,  and  such  other  branches  as  may 
be  added  from  time  to  time. 

(b)  The  time  required  to  complete  the  regular  course  of  studies 
shall  be  three  years.  Exceptions  to  this  rule  may  be  made,  when 
recommended  by  the  Dean  of  any  Department,  in  the  case  of  a  stu- 
dent who  has  pursued  an  equivalent  course  elsewhere;  provided 
that  he  shall  have  attended  recitations  in  the  English  Department 
for  at  least  six  periods  per  week,  for  one  scholastic  year. 

(c)  At  the  close  of  each  year,  or  at  the  completion  of  any  branch 
within  the  year,  there  shall  be  an  examination  of  each  class,  con- 
ducted in  writing.  An  average  grade  of  seventy-five  (75%)  per 
cent  must  be  maintained  through  the  entire  course  by  the  candidate 
for  regular  graduation.  For  this  he  shall  be  entitled  to  a  diploma 
with  the  degree  of  "Graduate  of  the  Western  Theological  Seminary 
of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church."  This  must  be  certified  to  by 
the  Faculty  before  the  graduation  is  authorized  by  the  Board. 

(d)  The  Senior  class  shall  present  theses  at  the  close  of  their 
course  upon  subjects  which  shall  be  assigned  by  the  Faculty  three 
months  in  advance. 

(e)  If  the  student  has  been  a  graduate  in  a  classical  course  of 
a  regular  college,  and  if,  at  the  end  of  each  year  of  his  Seminary 
course,  he  has  presented  a  satisfactory  thesis  on  some  subject  ap- 
proved by  the  faculty,  and  if,  during  his  Seminary  course,  he  has 
received  an  average  grade  of  ninety  (90%)  per  cent,  and  a  grade 
of  not  less  than  eighty-five  (85%)  per  cent  in  any  branch,  he  shall 
be  given  the  degree  of  "Bachelor  of  Divinity." 


children's  friend  society.  255 

THE     EV.     LUTHERAN     CHILDREN'S 
FRIEND  SOCIETY  OF  KANSAS. 

Is  one  of  the  many  Children's  Friend  Societies  of  the  Missouri 
Synod.  Lutheran  congregations  of  the  Synod  in  Wisconsin,  Minne- 
sota, Michigan,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Ohio,  Missouri,  Iowa  and  South 
Dakota  have  organized  societies  and  support  this  mission.  The 
method  of  carrying  on  this  work  is  comparatively  new  and  differs 
from  the  one  our  people  are  accustomed  to,  viz.,  the  rearing  and 
educating  of  orphans  in  orphanages.  For  this  reason  and  also  on 
account  of  the  wonderful  spread  of  the  movement  these  societies 
are  of  more  than  passing  interest.  There  is  a  movement  on  foot 
to  unite  the  different  state  societies  under  the  name  of  the  National 
Children's  Friend  Society. 

The  Ev.  Lutheran  Children's  Friend  Society  of  Kansas  was  char- 
tered under  the  laws  of  Kansas  in  1902.  The  purposes  for  which 
this  corporation  was  formed  are:  "To  search  after  and  receive  or- 
phans and  homeless,  dependent,  neglected  or  grossly  ill-treated 
children  and  to  procure  for  them  homes  in  private  Christian  fam- 
ilies, to  bind  out  by  contract  any  such  children  during  their  min- 
ority, to  give  away  any  such  children  by  adoption,  to  maintain  in- 
spection over  any  and  all  such  children  during  their  minority;  to 
buy,  lease,  sell  or  exchange  all  kinds  of  property,  real  and  per- 
sonal, for  the  purposes  of  this  corporation,  and  to  do  all  such  acts 
and  things  necessary  or  convenient  to  be  done  in  carrying  out  such 
objects  and  purposes  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the 
statutes  of  the  state  of  Kansas." 

Parents,  contemplating  the  adoption  of  a  child  are  given  a  list 
of  questions  to  answer  and  return  to  the  superintendent.  Upon 
receipt  of  this  sheet  the  superintendent  has  all  desired  informa- 
tion, such  as  name,  age,  address,  occupation  of  applicant.  He 
also  knows  how  far  the  applicant  lives  from  the  parochial  and  pub- 
lic school,  e.tc.  etc.  For  obvious  reasons  this  is  very  important. 
Every  application  is  signed  by  two  witnesses.  In  order  to  find  the 
proper  parents  for  the  right  child  and  to  give  the  proper  child  to 
the  right  parents,  it  is  given  out  on  trial.  After  a  stipulated  time 
the  superintendent  calls  on  the  family  and  ascertains  these  facts. 
After  he  has  satisfied  himself  that  the  child  has  found  the  right 
home,  the  parents  sign  a  contract  in  which  they  promise  to  bring 


256 


CHILDREN'S   FRIEND  SOCIETY   AT   WINFIELD. 


up  the  child  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  educate  it 
in  the  Lutheran  parochial  school,  have  it  confirmed,  admonish  it 
to  attend  church  regularly  after  confirmation  and  to  partake  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  in  short  to  lead  a  Christian  life.  Furthermore  they 
promise  to  clothe  it,  give  it  food,  nurse  it  when  ill,  never  to  mis- 
treat it,  but  to  look  upon  it  as  their  own  child.  After  the  time 
stipulated  in  the  contract  has  expired  and  the  child  is  ready  to 
leave  its  foster-parents,  they  agree  to  give  it  two  suits  of  clothes  and 


HOME  OF  THE  EV.   LUTHERAN  CHILDREN'S  FRIEND  SOCIETY  OF  KANSAS, 
AT  WINFIELD.      PRESENTED   BY   MRS.   J.    P.   BADEN    OF   WINFIELD. 

pay  the  society  a  certain  sum  of  money  which  is  kept  for  the  child. 

Parents  wishing  the  society  to  take  their  children  are  required 
to  sign  a  release  in  which  they  relinquish  all  right  and  claim  to  their 
children  and  expressly  request  the  society  to  secure  legal  adoption 
for  them  by  persons  chosen  by  the  corporation  or  its  agent. 

The  success  which  this  society  has  achieved  in  Kansas  the  fol- 
lowing table  will  show: 

In  May,  1903,  the  superintendent  reported     5  children  found. 

In  May,  1904,  the  superintendent  reported     5  children  found. 

In  May,   1905,  thfe  superintendent  reported  28  children  found. 

In  May.  1906,  the  superintendent  reported  23  children  found. 

In  May.  1907,  the  superintendent  reported   11  children  found. 

The  original  idea  was  to  find  the  child  and  place  it  immediately 
into  a  home,  already  in  waiting.  At  times  applications  for  children 
were  plentiful,  but  children  could  not  be  found  to  supply  the  de- 


children's  friend  society  at  winfield.  257 

mand.  Later  children  were  plentiful,  but  there  were  no  applica- 
tions in  for  them.  Now  when  children  come  so  fast  and  no  homes 
for  them  secured,  a  temporary  home  had  to  be  provided.  The  chil- 
dren were  cared  for  in  different  private  families.  Now  they  are  in 
our  magnificent  and  commodious  home  in  Winfield,  Kansas.  This 
home  was  presented  to  the  society  by  Mrs.  J.  P.  Baden,  of  Winfield. 
The  present  occupants  of  the  home  are  the  superintendent,  the 
matron  and  her  assistant  and  several  children.  Eventually  this  home 
which  should  be  but  a  temporary  abode  for  children,  awaiting 
permanent  homes,  may  change  into  an  orphanage. 

Wm.  H.  Steinkamp,  Sec'y- 


258  AUGUSTANA    SYNOD. 

A    BRIEF    HISTORY    OF   THE    SWEDISH 
EV.  LUTHERAN  KANSAS  CONFER- 
ENCE OF  AUGUSTANA  SYNOD. 

Rev.  Albert  W.  Lindquist,  A.  M.,  B.  D. 

THE  FIRST  SETTLERS. 

Swedish  immigrants  began  to  settle  in  the  state  of  Kansas  in 
1855,  but  it  was  not  until  about  ten  years  later  that  the  emigra- 
tion from  the  "Land  of  the  Midnight  Sun"  became  regular.  Since 
then  a  steady  stream  of  the  thrifty  sons  and  daughters  from  Swed- 
en have  settled  in  the  state;  they  have  founded  flourishing  colon- 
ies; they  have  built  churches;  they  have  worked  with  interest  for 
higher  education  and  have  been  full  of  works  of  mercy  and  good 
deeds  in  general.  As  citizens  they  have  been  loyal,  intelligent,  and 
law-abiding  from  the  very  beginning.  Both  in  the  church  at  large 
and  in  the  state  they  have  held  positions  of  honor  and  trust.  At 
present  some  over  twenty  thousand  Swedes  born  in  Sweden  reside 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  Sun-flower  State. 

The  late  John  A.  Johnson  of  Mariadahl,  Kansas,  is  undoubtedly 
the  earliest  Swedish  settler  who  came  to  the  state.  He  arrived  in 
1855.  His  brother,  the  Hon.  N.  P.  Johnson,  who  is  yet  living,  comes 
in  the  next  place.  He  arrived  one  year  later.  Mr.  P.  J.  Peterson 
came  to  Lawrence,  Kansas,  June  10th,  1858.  In  the  same  year  but 
a  few  months  later,  Mr.  Palm  of  the  same  city  arrived.  During 
1858,  Mr.  L.  A.  Jaderberg  and  John  Swanson  came  to  Enterprise, 
Kansas. 

Among  the  oldest  Swedish  colonies  in  the  state  may  be  mentioned 
Mariadahl,  Salemsburg,  Lindsborg  and  Lawrence.  Other  colonies 
were  founded  almost  simultaneously.  To  give  the  full  facts  con- 
cerning these  early  settlements  is  utterly  impossible.  It  is  also 
difficult  to  determine  the  causes  which  have  been  operative  in  di- 
recting the  Swedish  immigration  so  far  west  at  this  early  period. 
No  doubt  it  was  the  guiding  hand  of  God  who  directed  many  to  the 
far  away  prairies  of  the  West.  It  was  destined  for  them  to  take 
part  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  great  central  state  of  our  union.  Some 
peculiar  and  very  interesting  facts  center  around  some  of  the  early 
settlements.  We  shall  mention  one,  namely,  Lindsborg,  or  the 
Smoky  Valley,  today  the  largest  and  most  influential  Swedish  col- 


REV.   J.   B.   MCAFEE    HELPS   SWEDES.  259 

ony  in  the  state.  Rev.  J.  B.  McAfee,  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the 
state  relates  the  following:  "In  the  spring  of  1863  I  saw  in  the 
Lutheran  Observer  that  a  great  number  of  Swedes  were  being  tem- 
porarily located  in  the  suburbs  of  Chicago  until  their  agents  could 
locate  them  in  the  southwest  states  and  territories.  I  wrote  at  once 
to  Editor  Cervin  of  Hemlandet,  a  Swedish  newspaper  published  in 
Chicago,  asking  him  to  have  their  agents  come  to  Kansas.  He  re- 
plied, 'It  is  too  expensive.'  When  I  received  the  letter,  James  F. 
Joy,  general  manager  of  the  C.  B.  &  Q  Railroad  System  was  in  my 
office  in  Topeka.  After  reading  the  letter  I  handed  it  to  Mr.  Joy 
and  asked  him  to  read  it.  After  reading  it,  he  asked  me  what  I 
wanted.  I  told  him  I  wanted  a  certain  number  of  passes  from  Chi- 
cago to  Kansas  City.  He  gave  me' what  I  asked  for.  I  sent  these 
passes  at  once  to  Editor  Cervin.  I  also  wrote  Mr.  Bartholow,  Land 
Commissioner  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  R.  R.,  for  an  equal  number  of 
passes  from  Kansas  City  to  Salina.  He  asked  at  once  to  be  put  in 
communication  with  the  parties  in  Chicago  and  he  would  send  an 
agent  to  meet  them  at  Kansas  City  and  pass  them  to  Salina  and 
show  them  the  company's  lands  south  of  Salina." 

"After  the  agents  had  inspected  these  lands,  they  reported  to  me 
that  everything  suited  them  except  the  fare  was  too  high,  that  their 
people  could  not  afford  to  pay  it.  I  then  went  to  Chicago  and  in 
company  with  Hon.  Thadeus  H.  Walker,  made  arrangements  where- 
by in  companies  of  not  less  than  five  they  could  go  from  Chicago 
to  Salina  or  Waterville  for  $10.50,  instead  of  $29.50.  Sometime 
in  the  fall  I  received  a  letter  from  a  Mr.  Larson  (Rev.  S.  G.  Lar- 
son), informing  me  that  under  the  arrangements  made,  there  would 
be  a  great  number  of  Swedes  in  Kansas  within  three  months.  One 
year  more  or  less  after  buying  the  railroad  lands  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  where  Lindsborg  now  is,  a  committee  of  three  waited  on  me 
in  Topeka  and  told  me  their  people  could  not  meet  the  payments 
on  the  land  coming  due  and  asked  me  to  see  if  the  quantity  of  land 
could  not  be  reduced  and  money  already  paid  applied  on  the  small- 
er quantity  of  land.  Still  they  would  prefer  to  keep  all  the  land 
if  time  would  be  extended.  I  went  to  Mr.  Bartholow,  who  told  me 
that  if  they  extended  for  one  party,  all  others  would  demand  the 
same  extension,  but  that  I  might  make  the  extension  and  he  would 
see  that  it  was  carried  out.  The  extension  was  verbally  made  and 
fully  carried  out.  I  think  Revs.  S.  P.  A.  Lindahl,  A.  W.  Dahlsten  and 
S.  G.  Larson  were  the  three  parties  with  whom  I  became  acquaint- 
ed during  these  transactions.  I  think  these  arrangements  had  much 
to  do  with  the  settlements  about  Lindsborg  and  Scandia." 


260  PIONEER    WORK. 

THE   FIRST   MISSIONARY   WORK    IN    KANSAS. 

During  the  early  period  when  the  life  of  the  immigrants  was 
chiefly  migratory,  religious  affairs  were  naturally  in  a  similar  un- 
organized and  unsettled  condition.  All  were  poor  and  the  work  in 
the  East  was  yet  in  its  infancy  so  much  aid  could  not  be  expected 
from  other  congregations  and  pastors.  Still  it  did  not  take  long 
before  ministers  from  Illinois  and  other  places  made  missionary 
journeys  to  Kansas.  Rev.  John  Johnson  from  Illinois  was  the  first 
one  to  look  after  the  religious  needs  of  his  people.  He  visited 
Mariadahl  in  October,  1863.  On  the  14th  day  in  the  same  month 
and  year,  he  organized  a  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at  the  above 
mentioned  place.  About  this  one  first  church  more  will  be  related 
when  we  come  to  the  history  of  our  different  congregations. 

Among  other  ministers  who  came  to  proclaim  the  glad  tidings 
of  salvation,  to  console  and  encourage  our  early  Swedish  settlers 
may  be  mentioned  the  Revs.  S.  P.  A.  Lindahl,  D.  D.,  and  S.  G. 
Larson.  Pioneer  work  was  also  done  by  the  Revs.  A.  W.  Dahlsten, 
D.  D.,  J.  Seleen  and  S.  J.  Osterberg.  To  the  pioneer  workers  we 
also  count  the  Rev.  O.  Olson,  D.  D.,  who  came  to  Lindsborg  in 
1869,  accompanied  by  a  great  number  of  his  countrymen. 

The  struggles  and  vicissitudes  that  the  early  settlers  and  the  mis- 
sionaries had  to  pass  through  were  many  and  varied.  Many,  both 
stirring  and  pitiful  stories  are  related  about  the  troubles  and  sacri- 
fices they  had  to  encounter.  The  means  for  livlihood  were  often 
scarce  and  the  communications  were  poor.  In  the  midst  of  all  this 
they  seemed  to  exercise  a  wonderful  amount  of  patience  and  cour- 
age. They  had  placed  their  trust  in  God,  worked  faithfully  and 
looked  towards  a  time  when  the  wilderness  would  bloom.  We,  who 
enjoy  the  blessings  of  the  present  day,  surely  have  many  a  lesson 
to  learn  from  these  sturdy  and  God-fearing  pioneers. 

THE  ORGANIZATION  OF  A  CONFERENCE. 

Gradually  more  people  came  to  the  different  settlements  already 
founded;  more  churches  were  organized,  and  the  future  began  to 
look  brighter.  Soon  it  became  evident  that  a  better  and  stronger 
church  organization  was  essential  for  the  welfare  of  the  work.  For 
this  reason  the  Augustana  Synod  at  its  meeting  in  Andover,  Illinois 
in  1870  decided  to  allow  the  organization  of  a  Kansas  Conference, 
and  that  this  Conference  should  comprise  the  states  of  Kansas  and 
Nebraska.  A  meeting  for  this  purpose  was  held  in  Lawrence,  Kan- 
sas, August  4th,  1870,  when  a  regular  conference  was  organized. 
It  then  comprised  the  following  congregations: 


PRESIDENTS    AND    SECRETARIES    AUGUSTANA    SYNOD.  261 

Mariadahl,  Kansas;  Salemsborg,  Kansas;  Free  Mount,  Kansas; 
Salina,  Kansas;  Lindsborg,  Kansas;  Topeka,  Kansas;  Osage  City, 
Kansas;  Kansas  City,  Missouri;  Omaha,  Nebraska;  Oakland,  Ne- 
braska; Alma,  Nebraska;  Edenborg,  Nebraska;  Swedesborg,  Ne- 
braska; and  Lincoln,  Nebraska. 

The  following  ministers  were  present  at  the  meeting:  Revs.  S. 
G.  Larson,  S.  J.  Osterberg,  and  A.  W.  Dahlsten.  Rev.  A.  Andreen, 
from  Illinois,  who  was  on  a  missionary  journey  in  the  state,  also 
attended.  The  officers  elected  at  this  conference  were:  President, 
Rev.  A.  W.  Dahlsten,  Secretary,  Rev.  S.  J.  Osterberg.  The  follow- 
ing have  served  as  presidents  and  secretaries  in  the  conference: 

Presidents.  Year.  Secretaries. 

Rev.  A.  W.  Dahlsten 1870-71 Mr.  S.  J.  Osterberg. 

Rev.  O.  Olsson 1872 Rev.  S.  P.  A.  Lindahl. 

Rev.  O.  Olsson 1873 Rev.  J.  Seleen. 

Rev.  A.  W.  Dahlsten 1874 Rev.   O.  Chelleen. 

Rev.  O.  Olsson 1875 Rev.  O.   Chelleen. 

Rev.  O.  Olsson 1876 Rev.  C.  V.  Vestling. 

Rev.  O.  Olsson 1877 Rev.  C.  V.  Vestling. 

Rev.  O.  Olsson 1878 Rev.   A.   Rodell. 

Rev.  J.  Seleen 1879 Rev.   A.   Rodell. 

Rev.  J.  Seleen 1880 Rev.  C.  A.  Swensson. 

Rev.  J.  Seleen 1881 Rev.  C.  A.  Swensson. 

Rev.  J.  Seleen 1882 Rev.  C.  A.  Swensson. 

Rev.  J.  Seleen 1883 Rev.  J.  P.  Nyquist. 

Rev.  J.  Seleen .  1884 Rev.  E.  A.  Fogelstrom 

Rev.  J.  Seleen 1885 Rev.   C.  J.  E.  Haterius 

Rev.  J.  Seleen 1886 Rev.  G.  A.  Brandelle. 

Rev.  J.  Seleen 1887 Rev.  G.  A.  Brandelle. 

Rev.  J.  Seleen 1888 Rev.  G.  A.  Brandelle. 

Rev.  E.  M.  Erickson 1889 Rev.  J.  E.  Floren. 

Rev.  E.  M.  Erickson 1890 Rev.  J.  E.  Floren. 

Rev.  M.  Noyd 1891 Rev.  A.   Norrbom. 

Rev.  M.  Noyd 1892 Rev.   A.   Norrbom. 

Rev.  M.  Noyd 1893 Rev.  F.  A.  Bonander. 

Rev.  M.  Noyd 1894 Rev.  F.  A.  Bonander. 

Rev.  M.  Noyd 1895 Rev.  F.  A.  Bonander. 

Rev.  J.  E.  Floren 1896 Rev.  F.  A.  Bonander. 

Rev.  M.  Noyd 1897 Rev.  F.  A.  Bonander. 

Rev.  Carl  Walleen 1898 Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf. 

Rev.  Carl  Walleen 1899 Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf. 

Rev.  G.  A.  Brandelle,  D.  D..  .  .  1900 Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf. 

Rev.  G.  A.  Brandelle,  D.  D. ...  1 90 1 Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf. 

Rev.  G.  A.  Brandelle,  D.  D..  .  .  1902 Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf. 

Rev.  G.  A.  Brandelle,  D.  D..  . .  1903 Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf. 

Rev.  G.  A.  Brandelle,  D.  D..  .  .  1904 Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf. 

Rev.  G.  A.  Brandelle,  D.  D..  . .  1905 Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf. 

Rev.  G.  A.  Brandelle,  D.  D..  .  .  1906 Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf. 


262  AUGUSTANA    SYNOD    CHURCHES. 

Later  Nebraska  separated  from  Kansas  and  organized  a  Con- 
ference of  their  own.  By  some  this  was  considered  to  be  a  wrong 
and  unwise  move.  It  may  have  been  at  that  very  time.  Still  the 
change  would  have  occurred  sooner  or  later  and  under  such  cir- 
cumstances there  is  nothing  to  regret.  The  Nebraska  Conference 
has  a  large  field,  and  the  same  is  true  of  the  Kansas  Conference, 
perhaps  in  a  still  greater  degree. 

At  present  the  Conference  comprises  the  states  of  Kansas,  Colo- 
rado, Texas  and  Kansas  City,  Mo.  It  has  78  congregations  and 
forty-six  ministers.  It  has  an  extensive  mission  field,  a  good  or- 
phans' home  and  a  great  institution  of  learning. 


BRIEF  SKETCHES  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  CONGREGATIONS  IN 
THE  CONFERENCE. 

MARIADAHL. 

The  congregation  at  Mariadahl  is  the  oldest  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  in  the  state.  It  was  organized  the  14th  of  October,  1863 
by  Rev.  John  Johnson,  who  no  doubt  is  the  first  Swedish  Minister 
that  visited  Kansas.  The  following  persons  became  members:  J. 
A.  Johnson,  C.  A.  Dahlberg,  Peter  Johnson,  David  Johnson,  N.  P. 
Axelson,  J.  Anderson,  N.  Kristenson,  Melker  Falleen  and  their  fam- 
ilies. During  Rev.  Johnson's  visit  Mr.  John  A.  Johnson's  mother, 
Maria  (Mary)  Johnson  died  and  was  buried  by  him.  She  was  an 
elderly  and  very  pious  lady.  She  was  the  first  person  buried  in 
Mariadahl  and  perhaps  the  first  Swede  buried  in  the  state.  It  is 
from  her  name  the  congregation  got  its  name. 

During  the  first  years  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  congregation 
were  looked  after  by  travelling  missionaries.  Among  these  may  be 
mentioned  Rev.  H.  Olson  and  B.  M.  Halland.  In  1866  Rev.  A.  W. 
Dahlsten  made  several  visits  to  Mariadahl  and  neighboring  places. 

It  was  not  until  in  the  year  of  1867  that  our  church  at  Mariadahl 
was  able  to  call  a  regular  pastor.  Then  a  call  was  issued  to  the 
Rev.  J.  P.  Lundblad,  who  also  accepted.  He  was  the  first  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Pastor  in  the  state,  who  held  a  regular  charge.  In 
1869,  Rev.  Lundblad  left.  After  him  the  following  have  served  the 
congregation;  Rev.  J.  Seleen,  1872-76;  Rev.  H.  Olsson  1876-89; 
and  Rev.  O.  W.  Mefferd  from  July  1891  until  his  death,  May  14th, 
1892.  Rev.  L.  J.  Sundquist  was  in  charge  of  the  congregation  until 
in  1905.     At  present  Rev.  C.  J.  E.  Haterius  is  pastor  at  Mariadahl. 

The  church  property  including  parsonage  is  valued  at  $7000.00. 


SALEMSBURG,    FREMONT,    LINDSBORG.  263 

The  membership  is  three  hundred  and  five.     In  the  Sunday  School 
there  are  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  scholars. 

SALEMSBORG. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at  Salemsborg,  Kansas,  was  or- 
ganized in  1869  by  the  Rev.  A.  W.  Dahlsten,  D.  D.  In  1874  a 
church  building  was  erected,  but  after  some  time  this  edifice  be- 
came too  small  and  in  1893  a  new  and  modern  church  was  built, 
costing  about  ten  thousand  dollars.  In  1906  a  new  and  modern 
parsonage  was  erected.  The  church  and  parsonage  is  valued  at 
about  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  At  present  the  congregation 
has  six  hundred  and  one  members.  The  Sunday  School  numbers 
one  hundred  scholars.  Dr.  A.  W.  Dahlsten  was  the  regular  pastor 
of  the  church  from  its  organization  until  1888.  Since  then  the  Rev. 
C.  Walleen  has  labored  in  this  field. 

FREMONT. 

Our  Church  at  Fremont  was  organized  in  1869  by  the  Rev.  A. 
W.  Dahlsten,  D.  D.,  who  also  had  charge  of  the  work  for  some 
time.  Rev.  J.  Seleen  was  pastor  for  this  church  during  fifteen 
years,  or  until  1894  when  he  moved  to  Sweden  where  he  is  still 
residing.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  D.  Danielson.  The  pres- 
ent pastor  is  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Aurelius.  The  first  church  building  was 
very  small,  but  in  1881  a  large  and  commodious  edifice  was  erect- 
ed. The  church  property  is  valued  at  twenty  thousand  dollars. 
The  numerical  strength  of  the  congregation  is  345  members  and  90 
scholars  in  the  Sunday  School. 

LINDSBORG. 

The  history  of  our  church  at  Lindsborg  has  a  long  and  interesting 
story.  We  only  wish  space  would  allow  us  to  go  into  details,  but 
we  cannot.  In  June  1869  the  Rev.  O.  Olsson,  Ph.  D.,  D.  D.,  and  a 
large  number  of  his  countrymen  came  to  the  Smoky  Valley  with 
the  intention  of  organizing  an  ideal  congregation.  Only  true  Chris- 
tians were  to  belong  to  this  body.  To  this  end  great  strictness  was 
shown.  It  is  even  related  that  the  minister's  wife  had  to  stand  a 
strict  examination  before  the  council  before  she  was  admitted  as  a 
member.  After  some  time,  however,  they  became  more  liberal  in 
their  views,  especially  after  joining  the  Augustana  Synod  and  after 
becoming  acquainted  with  the  church  work  in  this  new  and  strange 
land. 

The  Swedish  Ev.  Lutheran  Bethany  congregation  was  organized 
in  1869  by  Dr.  O.  Olsson.  The  house  in  which  this  was  done  is 
still  standing.     A  church,  if  so  it  may  be  called,  was  soon  built. 


264  TOPEKA.,    ST.    MARYS. 

It  was  located  in  section  seven,  a  little  northwest  of  where  Linds- 
borg  now  is.  It  was  a  very  simple  affair.  No  floor,  four  windows 
and  with  a  hay  roof.  A  big  stone  was  used  as  a  lock  for  the  door. 
In  1874  a  stone  building  was  erected  in  Lindsborg.  An  addition 
and  other  improvements  were  made  in  1880.  In  1904  still  another 
addition  to  the  church  was  built,  a  new  pipe  organ  was  bought,  and 
other  improvements  made.  The  church  property  is  valued  at  thirty- 
five  thousand  dollars.  The  Bethany  parsonage  is  the  largest  and 
costliest  in  the  Conference. 

Dr.  O.  Olsson  served  the  congregation  until  1879.  In  June  the 
same  year  the  Rev.  Carl  Swensson,  Ph.  D.,  D.  D.,  K.  N.  O.  (Knight 
of  the  North  Star)  entered  upon  the  duties  as  pastor  of  the  church 
and  served  until  his  sudden  and  unexpected  death  at  Los  Angeles, 
Cal.,  February  16th,  1904.  Rev.  Julius  Lincoln  and  Prof.  Earnst 
Pihlblad,  D.  D.,  have  been  assistant  pastors  in  the  Bethany  church. 
As  successor  to  Dr.  Swensson,  the  congregation  called  Rev.  Alfred 
Bergin,  Ph.  D. 

The  Bethany  Church  at  Lindsborg  is  our  largest  Swedish  congre- 
gation in  the  conference,  and  no  doubt  also  the  largest  Lutheran 
church  in  the  state.  It  numbers  eighteen  hundred  and  ten  mem- 
bers and  has  six  hundred  and  eighty-five  pupils  in  the  Sunday 
School. 

TOPEKA. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  Topeka  was  organized  in  1870. 
At  first  the  congregation  belonged  to  the  General  Synod  but  in  1872 
it  united  with  the  Augustana  Synod.  The  following  have  served  as 
pastors  of  the  church.  Rev.  C.  J.  Scheleen,  one  year;  Rev.  C.  V. 
Vestling,  1873-75;  Rev.  J.  F.  Seedoff,  1888-1890;  Rev.  J.  Holcomb, 
1883-1887.  In  1875  Rev.  Vestling  moved  to  Osage  City  but  he 
continued  to  serve  the  church  in  Topeka  every  other  Sunday  until 
1877  and  afterwards  every  fourth  Sunday  until  1882;  Rev.  A.  Norr- 
bom,  1890-1899;  Rev.  C.  A.  Engstrand,  1897-99;  Rev.  A.  M.  L. 
Herenius  1900-1905.  Rev.  D.  J.  Nordling  is  the  present  pastor  of 
the  church. 

In  1885  a  new  church  was  erected.  The  property  is  valued  at 
ten  thousand  dollars.  The  present  membership  is  one  hundred  and 
sixty-seven.     The  Sunday  School  numbers  fifty  children. 

ST.  mary's. 
Our  Swedish  church  at  St.  Mary's  was  organized  in   1872.     In 
1877  a  church  building  was  erected,  valued  at  $1000.00.    Rev.  C.  J. 
Scheleen  has  served  the  congregation  since  its  organization,  which 


OSAGE   CITY,    SALINA,   WATERVILLE.  265 

at  present  numbers  seventy-three  members.     Ten  scholars  attend 
the  Sunday  School. 

OSAGE  CITY. 

The  congregation  was  organized  in  1870.  Four  years  later  a 
church  building  was  erected.  The  valuation  of  the  property  is  five 
thousand  dollars.  Present  membership  is  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
six.  Eighty  children  are  enrolled  in  the  Sunday  School.  Pastors 
who  have  served  this  church  are:  Rev.  C.  V.  Vestling,  until  1883. 
Rev.  O.  F.  Thorell,  1884-85;  Rev.  L.  J.  Sundquist,  1888-91;  Rev.  J. 
A.  Holmen,  1891-99;  Rev.  G.  A.  Ekman  has  charge  of  the  work  at 
present. 

SALINA. 

A  church  organization  was  formed  in  1870  by  Dr.  A.  W.  Dahl- 
sten.  In  1871,  Mr.  A.  W.  Phillips,  an  American,  donated  two  lots 
and  on  these  a  church  was  erected  the  following  year.  Still  it  took 
some  years  before  it  was  fully  completed.  The  church  property  is 
valued  at  five  thousand  dollars  and  the  congregation  numbers  two 
hundred  members.  In  the  Sunday  School  fifty-five  pupils  are  en- 
rolled. The  following  pastors  have  served  the  church:  Dr.  A.  W. 
Dahlsten,  1870-79;  Rev.  Lagerman,  1879-80;  Rev.  A.  M.  LeVeau, 
1880-84;  and  Dr.  J.  E.  Floren  since  1887. 

WATERVILLE. 

Our  Waterville  congregation  was  organized  in  1871  by  Dr.  S.  P. 
A.  Lindahl.  A  church  was  erected  in  1886.  Rev.  J.  Seleen  was  the 
first  regular  pastor.  He  took  charge  of  the  work  in  1873  and  re- 
mained four  years.  After  him  the  congregation  has  been  served 
by  the  following;  Rev.  H.  Olson  (three  years),  Rev.  P.  J.  Sanden 
(five  years),  Rev.  L.  A.  Edman  (two  years),  Rev.  N.  Ohslund,  Rev. 
C.  J.  Damstrom,  Mr.  S.  J.  Odell,  (a  school  teacher),  Rev.  F.  A. 
Bonander,  Rev.  J.  A.  Johnson  and  Rev.  Svante  Udden.  Rev.  J. 
Holcomb  is  now  in  charge  of  the  congregation. 

The  church  property  is  valued  at  thirty-five  hundred  dollars.  The 
congregation  has  one  hundred  and  seven  members  and  twenty- 
seven  children  in  the  Sunday  School. 

friend's  home. 
The  congregation  was  organized  in  1872  and  the  church  was 
erected  in  1879.  The  property  is  valued  at  eight  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars.  The  membership  is  four  hundred  and  fifty  and 
the  Sunday  School  has  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  scholars.  The 
congregation  was  served  for  some  time  by  Rev.  S.  J.  Osterberg  and 
during  1882-90  by  Rev.  P.  A.  Cederstam.  He  leaving,  the  congre- 
gation was  vancant  until   1893  when  Rev.  O.  Moren  arrived,  who 


266  VILAS,    NEW    GOTLAND,    OTTAWA. 

served  the  church  as  pastor  until  in  1905.     Rev.  R.  P.  Acsell  is  the 
present  pastor. 

VILAS. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Bethel  Church  at  Vilas,  Wilson  county, 
Kansas,  which  was  organized  in  1872,  has  no  regular  pastor.  Rev. 
O.  Moren  and  other  pastors  in  the  district  have  for  several  years 
looked  after  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  church.  The  property  is 
worth  twelve  hundred  dollars.  Congregation  numbers  eight-eight 
members.     Forty-five  children  attend  the  Sunday  School. 

NEW  GOTLAND. 

Our  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at  New  Gotland,  McPherson  coun- 
ty, Kansas,  was  organized  in  1872.  Student  J.  P.  Sanden  preached 
there  several  years.  Rev.  P.  M.  Sannquist  served  as  pastor  until 
1883;  Rev.  E.  M.  Erickson,  1884-86  and  A.  Wahlin,  1886-1904; 
Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf  succeeded  Rev.  Wahlin. 

The  church  property  is  worth  eight  thousand  dollars.  The  mem- 
bership is  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  and  the  Sunday  School  has 
eight-five  scholars. 

SWEDESBURG. 

Congregation  organized  1872  by  A.  W.  Dahlsten,  D.  D.,  and 
church  erected  1876.  Valued  at  eight  thousand  dollars.  The  mem- 
bership is  two  hundred  and  forty-three.  In  the  Sunday  School  sixty 
five  pupils  are  enrolled.  The  congregation  was  first  served  by  Rev. 
O.  Chilleen,  then  by  Rev.  C.  J.  Damstrom  until  1883.  After- 
wards by  Rev.  A.  Holmer,  1884-87,  by  Rev.  J.  Holcomb,  Rev.  J.  A. 
Holmen  and  Rev.  G.  Franzen.  At  present  the  congregation  is  va- 
cant. 

WALSBURG. 

The  Swedish  Lutherans  organized  a  church  at  Walsburg  in  1873. 
In  1877  the  church  was  erected.  The  property  is  worth  six  thous- 
and five  hundred  dollars.  The  congregation  has  three  hundred  and 
thirty  members  and  one  hundred  and  eighty  scholars  in  the  Sun- 
day School.  The  following  pastors  have  worked  in  this  field.  Rev. 
H.  Olson,  1876-84;  Rev.  L.  A.  Edman,  1884-86;  Rev.  J.  A.  Hem- 
borg  and  C.  A.  Engstrand. 

OTTAWA. 

The  congregation  at  Ottawa  was  organized  in  1873  and  the 
church  built  in  1879.  Membership  forty  five,  scholars  in  Sunday 
School,  fifteen.  Value  of  property  (no  parsonage),  twenty-five 
hundred  dollars.  As  a  rule  this  congregation  has  been  served  by 
neighboring  pastors. 


SCANDIA,   KACKLEY,   BRANTFORD.  267 

SCANDIA. 

The  Swedish  Amana  congregation  in  Scandia  was  organized  in 
1873.  The  church  was  built  in  1878  and  the  property  is  valued  at 
five  thousand  two  hundred  dollars.  Membership  one  hundred  and 
eight,  scholars  in  Sunday  School  twenty-two.  Rev.  Nels  Ohslund 
was  the  first  pastor.  Since  he  left,  Rev.  L.  A.  Edman  had  charge 
of  the  work,  after  him,  Rev.  C.  J.  Maxwell  served  the  congrega- 
tion until  his  death  in  1905.  Rev.  H.  E.  Sandstedt  accepted  a  call 
to  the  church  in  1906. 

KACKLEY. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Ada  congregation  in  Republic  county, 
Kansas,  was  organized  in  1873  and  the  church  building  erected  in 
1882.  Value  of  property,  eight  thousand  dollars.  Membership 
three  hundred  and  fifty.  Scholars  in  Sunday  School  sixty.  Until 
1886  the  congregation  was  served  by  Rev.  Nils  Ohslund;  after- 
wards by  Rev.  J.  A.  Holmen,  1887-92,  by  Rev.  F.  W.  Bergquist  and 
at  present  by  Rev.  M.  P.  Oden.  The  church  has  been  renovated 
since  then  and  this  year  (1907)  a  new  parsonage  will  be  erected. 

MARSHALL    COUNTY. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Salem  congregation  in  Marshall  county, 
Kansas,  was  organized  in  1874  by  the  Rev.  J.  Seleen.  No  church 
was  erected  until  in  1883.  Rev.  J.  Seleen,  who  was  pastor  in  Maria- 
dahl  also  tended  to  this  charge.  After  him,  Rev.  H.  Olson  looked 
after  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  people  until  1878,  when  they  got  a 
regular  pastor,  namely  Rev.  P.  J.  Sanden.  He  stayed  until  1887 
and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  F.  A.  Bonander.  At  present  Rev.  A.  S. 
Segerhammer  is  pastor  in  Salem. 

The  church  property  is  valued  at  seven  thousand  dollars.  The 
congregation  has  four  hundred  and  eighty-four  members  and  one 
hundred  and  seven  children  in  the  Sunday  School. 

BRANTFORD. 

In  1874  the  Zion  congregation  was  organized.  A  church  valued 
at  two  thousand  dollars  was  built  in  1882.  The  membership  is 
ninety-six  and  the  Sunday  School  has  twenty-eight  scholars.  The 
following  have  been  pastors  in  the  congregation:  Rev.  C.  J.  Dam- 
strom,  Rev.  F.  W.  Bergquist  and  Rev.  Swante  Udden.  Rev.  J.  Hol- 
comb  has  charge  of  the  work  at  present. 

LAWRENCE. 

The  congregation  was  organized  in  1869  and  a  church  valued  at 
nine  hundred  dollars  was  erected  in  1884.  During  1884-87,  Rev. 
J.  A.  Hemborg  was  pastor  in  Lawrence.     Since  then  Rev.  E.  Glad 


268  ASSARIA,   ENTERPRISE,   GARFIELD. 

and  others  have  looked  after  our  church  at  Lawrence.     Member- 
ship twenty;  no  Sunday  School. 

ASSARIA. 

A  congregation  was  organized  in  1875.  The  church  was  built 
in  1877  and  the  property  is  valued  at  six  thousand  dollars.  The 
membership  is  five  hundred  and  twenty-five.  In  the  Sunday  School, 
one  hundred  and  three  pupils  are  enrolled.  The  following  pastors 
have  had  charge  of  the  work;  Dr.  A.  W.  Dahlsten,  Rev.  A.  M.  Le- 
veau,  Rev.  J.  T.  Kjellgren  and  Rev.  J.  Wilkstrand.  Rev.  Wikstrand 
resigned  his  pastorate  January  1st,  1907. 

MARION   HILL. 

The  Marion  Hill  congregation  was  organized  in  1876  and  the 
church  erected  in  1879.  The  church  property  is  worth  twenty-six 
hundred  dollars.  Membership  one  hundred  and  seventy-five, 
scholars  in  the  Sunday  School,  forty.  Revs.  J.  A.  Rinell  and  A.  E. 
Johnson  have  been  pastors  at  this  place.  Rev.  A.  J.  Borgstrom  has 
charge  of  the  congregation  at  present. 

ENTERPRISE. 

At  Enterprise  a  religious  society  was  formed  as  early  as  1874. 
It  was  a  sort  of  a  union  church  but  it  was  not  satisfactory  to  a 
good  many  and  in  1879  a  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  was  or- 
ganized, the  union  church  was  bought  and  admission  into  the  Synod 
asked  for.  Dr.  J.  E.  Floren  of  Salina,  has  been  in  charge  of  this 
congregation.  Prior  to  his  service  the  following  pastors  visited  En- 
terprise: A.  W.  Dahlsten,  Rev.  A.  M.  LeVeau,  N.  Nordling  and 
E.  M.  Erickson.  The  Bethlehem  church  is  worth  two  thousand  and 
fifty  dollars.  The  membership  is  seventy-five,  Sunday  School  en- 
rollment twelve. 

GARFIELD. 

The  Garfield  congregation  was  organized  in  1879.  Its  member- 
ship is  eighty-five.  Only  twelve  pupils  are  enrolled  in  the  Sun- 
day School.  The  church  is  worth  three  thousand  dollars.  The  fol- 
lowing have  served  the  church:  Rev.  A.  Lindholm,  Rev.  P.  M.  Sann- 
quist,  Dr.  A.  W.  Dahlsten  and  Rev.  A.  A.  Leksell.  Rev.  V.  E. 
Holmstedt  is  pastor  of  the  congregation  at  present. 

NEW    ANDOVER. 

In  1879  Rev.  J.  Seleen  organized  a  congregation  at  New  And- 
over,  McPherson  county,  Kansas.  The  Church  was  erected  1883 
and  the  property  is  valued  at  fifty-five  hundred  dollars.  Two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-seven  members  belong.  In  the  Sunday  School, 
sixty  scholars  are  enrolled.     The   following   pastors  have   looked 


MANHATTAN,   MCPHERSON,   MARQUETTE.  269 

after  this  charge:  Rev.  J.  Seleen,  Rev.  A.  Lindholm,  1881-86,  and 
Rev.  N.  Nordgren,  1886-88.  He  leaving,  the  congregation  had  no 
regular  pastor  until  1892  when  Dr.  A.  W.  Dahlsten  accepted  their 
call.  During  the  vacancy  of  the  church,  Revs.  P.  M.  Sannquist 
visited  the  congregation. 

MANHATTAN. 

At  Manhattan  a  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  was  organized 
in  1879.  The  church  valued  at  twelve  hundred  dollars  was  built 
in  1885.  Membership  seventy-three  and  scholars  in  the  Sunday 
School,  fifteen.  Rev.  C.  J.  Scheleen,  who  preached  at  this  place 
several  years  before  an  organization  was  affected,  is  pastor  of  this 
congregation. 

MCPHERSON. 

A  congregation  was  organized  at  McPherson  1881  and  a  church 
built  in  1883.  The  church  property  is  worth  eighty-five  hundred 
dollars.  Number  of  members,  three  hundred  and  ninety-seven. 
Scholars  in  Sunday  School,  sixty-four.  The  congregation  has  been 
served  by  the  following  ministers:  Rev.  P.  M.  Sannquist,  1882-88; 
Rev.  J.  Wikstrand,  1889-92;  Rev.  C.  P.  Edlund,  1892,  1900;  Rev. 
J.  A.  Engwall  is  pastor  of  the  church  at  present. 

OLSBURG. 

The  congregation  was  organized  in  1881  under  the  leadership  of 
Rev.  H.  Olson.  It  has  three  hundred  and  five  members  and  eighty 
children  in  the  Sunday  School.  The  church  built  in  1883  is  worth 
six  thousand  dollars.  During  the  first  years  Rev.  H.  Olson  of  Mar- 
iadahl  also  attended  to  the  work  here.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
O.  E.  Mefford.  Others  who  have  labored  in  this  part  of  the  vine- 
yard are:  Rev.  C.  O.  Granere  and  J.  A.  Johnson.  At  present  Rev. 
F.  N.  Anderson  is  pastor  at  Olsburg. 

BURD1CK. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Hebron  congregation  in  Burdick,  Morris 
county,  Kansas,  was  organized  in  1884  and  has  two  hundred  and 
nineteen  members  with  a  Sunday  School  of  sixty-eight  pupils.  The 
church  erected  in  1887  is  valued  at  fifty-two  hundred  dollars.  The 
following  have  been  in  charge  of  this  congregation:  Rev.  E.  M. 
Erickson  and  P.  A.  Malm,  G.  A.  Dorf,  Rev.  C.  A.  Peterson  is  the 
present  pastor. 

MARQUETTE. 

The  Elim  congregation  at  Marquette  was  organized  1878.  A 
church  was  erected  the  same  year.  In  the  spring  of  1905  the  church 
building  was  totally  destroyed  by  a  tornado.    Work  on  a  new  house 


270  HUTCHINSON,  FALUN. 

of  worship  was  commenced  immediately  and  the  building  was  com- 
pleted last  year.  The  church  property  is  worth  fifteen  thousand 
dollars.  Prior  to  1887  Rev.  J.  Seleen  had  charge  of  the  work.  The 
first  regular  pastor  was  Dr.  E.  P.  Olson,  who  in  1889  was  succeed- 
ed by  Rev.  E.  M.  Erickson.  After  his  resignation  Dr.  Emil  Lund 
has  been  in  charge  of  the  work  until  March  1st,  1907.  The  new 
pastor  Rev.  C.  E.  Bengston  has  already  taken  charge. 


The  congregation   at   Enne,   Rawlins  county,  was  organized    in 

1885.  It  has  forty-seven  members.  Rev.  A.  Holmer  was  its  pastor 
1887-1890.     Since  then  it  has  been  vacant. 

HUTCHINSON. 

The    Immanuel   congregation   in    Hutchinson   was   organized     in 

1886.  The  church  building  worth  one  thousand  and  thirty-four 
dollars  was  erected  in  1888.  Present  membership  is  one  hundred 
and  fifty-seven,  scholars  in  the  Sunday  School  number  thirty.  For 
some  time  Rev.  C.  P.  Edlund  visited  this  place.  After  him  Rev. 
A.  A.  Leksell  was  the  regular  pastor,  until  1904.  Rev.  V.  E.  Holm- 
stedt  is  now  pastor  of  the  church. 

GOVE   COUNTY. 

The  Saron  congregation  at  Gove  was  organized  in   1886  and  a 
church  built  the   following  year  valued  at  six  hundred    dollars. 
Membership  sixty.     Has  never  had  a  regular  pastor. 

PAGE   COUNTY. 

In  1887  the  Bethesda  congregation  at  Page  was  organized.  The 
following  year  a  church  was  erected  costing  five  hundred  dollars. 
Present  membership  fifty-six.  Rev.  E.  Glad  had  charge  of  this 
congregation  for  some  years.  Rev.  J.  Holcomb  has  also  been  pas- 
tor of  this  and  other  churches  in  Western  Kansas. 

FALUN. 

Under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  P.  M.  Sannquist  and  Dr.  Carl 
Swensson  a  congregation  was  organized  in  1887.  The  church  was 
built  the  same  year.  Rev.  P.  M.  Sannquist  was  the  first  pastor  and 
served  until  his  death,  December  21st,  1891.  Afterwards  Mr.  K.  J. 
Sterner  had  charge  of  the  work,  until  Dr.  J.  Ekholm  took  charge. 
He  left  in  1906  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  E.  P.  Olson.  Present 
membership  is  two  hundred  and  twenty-three  and  eighty  children 
are  enrolled  in  the  Sunday  School.  The  church  property  is  valued 
at  four  thousand  dollars. 


STOCKHOLM,   DELMORE,  TREGO.  271 

SHARON   SPRINGS. 

The  Sharon  congregation  at  Sharon  Springs  was  organized  in 
1888  and  the  church  erected  in  1900.  Its  value  is  five  hundred  dol- 
lars. Membership  is  eighteen.  Sunday  School  scholars  number 
six.  Rev.  E.  Glad  was  pastor  here  for  some  time,  also  Rev.  J.  Hol- 
comb.     The  congregation  is  now  vacant. 

STOCKHOLM. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Bethany  church  at  Stockholm  was  organ- 
ized by  Dr.  J.  A.  Stamline  in  1888.  The  following  year  a  church 
was  built  costing  five  hundred  dollars.  Present  membership  is  one 
hundred  and  fifty-one  and  twenty-eight  scholars  in  the  Sunday 
school.  The  following  have  served  this  church:  Revs.  J.  A.  Stem- 
line,  L.  J.  Sanden,  E.  Glad,  C.  E.  Olson  and  J.  Holcomb. 

DELMORE. 

The  Kristvalla  congregation  in  Delmore,  McPherson  county,  was 
organized  in  1887.  Membership  is  thirty-five  and  ten  scholars  in 
the  Sunday  School.  Rev.  A.  Wahlin  has  preached  at  certain  times 
for  this  congregation.  Now  Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf  has  charge  of  the 
work. 

PITTSBURG. 

In  1890  the  Lydia  church  at  Pittsburg  was  organized.  A  church 
was  erected  the  following  year  costing  twelve  hundred  dollars.  A 
student,  Mr.  E.  P.  Wardeen  worked  here  for  some  time,  also,  Mr. 
A.  J.  Borgstrom  (now  pastor).  As  most  of  the  people  have  moved 
away,  no  work  among  our  people  is  done  at  present. 

TREGO. 

The  Immanuel  church  five  miles  from  Ellis,  was  organized  in 
1900.  A  church  costing  two  thousand  dollars  was  built  in  1902. 
Membership  is  seventy-one,  Sunday  School  scholars  seventeen. 
Rev.  Carl  Walleen,  the  organizer  of  the  church  frequently  visits 
this  place. 

SARON. 

The  Saron  church  at  Concordia,  Kansas  was  organized  in  1881. 
A  church  building  was  erected  in  1888,  value  of  property  is  one 
thousand  and  five  hundred  dollars. 

CUSTAFS  LUND. 

Gustaf's  congregation,  Lund,  was  organized  in  1884.  It  is  very 
small  and  no  report  has  been  rendered  for  years. 

SMOLAN. 

A  Swedish  Lutheran  annex  congregation  to  Salemsburg  was  or- 


272  KANSAS   CITY,   KANSAS — SUMMARY. 

ganized  in  1893.  In  1904  a  church  building  was  erected.  It  is 
worth  two  thousand  three  hundred  dollars.  Present  membership 
is  forty-five.  The  Sunday  School  has  ten  pupils.  Rev.  Carl  Wal- 
leen  has  charge  of  the  work. 

KANSAS  CITY,  KANSAS. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  church  at  Kansas  City,  Kansas  was  or- 
ganized in  1894.  Prior  to  that  time  people  of  our  Lutheran  faith 
belonged  to  the  First  Swedish  Lutheran  church,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 
For  several  years  missionary  work  was  done  by  Revs.  C.  J.  E.  Hat- 
erius,  E.  Nelander  and  other  pastors  who  had  charge  of  the  first 
church.  Rev.  M.  Noyd  organized  the  new  congregation  and  was 
its  first  pastor.  As  his  successor  Rev.  E.  Glad  was  called.  He  ac- 
cepted and  is  yet  in  charge  of  the  work.  A  church  was  built  in 
1896.  The  congregation  has  one  hundred  and  ninety  members  and 
ninety  scholars  in  the  Sunday  School. 


TOTAL   STATISTICS    KANSAS   CONFERENCE. 5" 

Number  of  congregations 78 

Number  of  communicants 9340 

Number  of  members 14714 

Number  of  pastors 46 

Number  of  scholars  in  Parochial  schools 1567 

Number  of  scholars  in  Sunday  schools 4024 

Value  of  church  property $459,284** 

Debts  on  church  properties 22,277 

*  According  to  annual  report  1905. 

**  To  this  may  be  added  the  value  of  Bethany  College. $170,000 
and  the  value  of  the  Orphan's  Home 20,000 

For  full  Statistical  Exhibit  for  1906  see  Augustana  tables  at  the 
end  of  this  volume. 


MISSOURI,    TEXAS,    COLORADO.  273 

CONGREGATIONS  OUTSIDE  OF  THE  STATE  BELONGING  TO 

THE  KANSAS  CONFERENCE. 

I. 

MISSOURI. 

Property    Commun-      S.   S. 
Name   of  Church.  Organized.  Value.  icants.  Scholars 

1st  Luth.  K.  C,  Mo 1869         $44,000.00         452         135 

Immanuel,  K.  C,  Mo 1899  38,000.00         180         133 

II. 

TEXAS. 

Gethsemane,  Austin 1875         $15,000.00         172  55 

Brushy 1875  15,000.00         515         130 

New  Sweden 1876  9,000.00         449  67 

Bethel,  Georgetown 1892  500.00         

Hutto 1892  4,500.00         190  46 

Moline,   Elroy 1897  1 ,200.00  63  25 

Bethlehem,  Lund 1897  5,000.00         244  72 

Emaus,  Manor 1 905 

Gustavus  Adolphus,  Ft.  Worth. .  1905 

Immanuel,  Dallas 1906 

Bethel,  Ericksdahl 1906 

Zion,   Galveston 1892 

El  Campo 1893 

Eden,  Olivia 1893 

Salem,  Granado 1895 

III. 

COLORADO. 

Golden 1873 

Augustana,  Denver 1878 

Georgetown 1880 

Elim,  Longmont 1887 

Bethesda,  Boulder 1892 

Tabor,  Pueblo 1892 

Starkville 1891 

Bethania,  Las  Animas 1894 

Zion,  Idaho  Springs 1896 

Colorado  Springs 1897 

Nebo,  Victor 1902 

Cripple  Creek 1903 

Immanuel,  Greeley 1905 

Zion,  Loveland 


40 

12 

25 

1,000.00 

43 

7,000.00 

98 

40 

4,500.00 

222 

39 

200.00 

61 

26 

1,100.00 

26 

5 

$1,500.00 

13 

60,000.00 

528 

225 

1,000.00 

16 

2,800.00 

85 

23 

3,500.00 

78 

26 

9,300.00 

135 

50 

900.00 

20 

3,500.00 

89 

12 

3,000.00 

90 

44 

1 ,500.00 

84 

26 

3,000.00 

72 

45 

49 

20 

50 

25 

100 

35 

274  MARIADAHL    ORPHAN'S    HOME. 

THE  ORPHAN'S  HOME  AT  MARIADAHL,  KANSAS. 

The  Orphan's  Home  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Kansas  Con- 
ference of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Augustana  Synod  of  North 
America,  situated  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Blue  River  in  the 
western  part  of  Pottawatomie  county,  Kansas,  is  a  beautiful  mon- 
ument of  Christian  piety  and  love. 

Its  history  really  begins  with  the  year  1873  when  the  U.  P.  Ry. 
Co.,  by  the  influence  of  Rev.  A.  W.  Dahlsten,  donated  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  McPherson  county,  Kansas  for  the  bene- 
fit of  a  future  Orphan's  Home. 

At  the  conference  meeting  at  Mariadahl,  Kansas,  in  1875  the 
first  board  of  directors  was  appointed  and  comprised  of  the  fol- 
lowing persons:  Rev.  O.  Olsson,  Rev.  A.  W.  Dahlsten,  Mr.  C.  J. 
Brodine  (Salemsburg,  Kansas),  Mr.  J.  Rodell  (Fremont,  Kansas), 
and  Mr.  J.  A.  Nelson,  (Lindsborg,  Kansas).  On  account  of  lack 
of  means  and  uncertainty  as  to  the  best  location  for  such  a  home, 
the  question  was  postponed  for  a  few  years.  At  the  conference 
meeting  at  New  Gottland,  Kansas,  in  1878  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed, comprising  the  Board  of  Directors  and  Mr.  John  A.  John- 
son of  Mariadahl,  Kansas.  This  committee  was  to  find  out  the 
most  suitable  place  for  an  Orphan's  Home. 

The  Committee  reported  at  the  conference  meeting  at  Scandia, 
Kansas,  that  it  thought  best  that  the  Orphan's  Home  ought  to  be 
located  in  the  oldest  congregation  of  the  conference,  which  is 
Mariadahl,  Kansas,  where  a  well  improved  farm  of  two  hundred  and 
eight  acres  could  be  purchased  for  the  sum  of  $5,520.00.  After  a 
lively  discussion  the  conference  decided  to  purchase  said  farm  and 
thus  the  Home  was  located  in  Mariadahl,  Kansas. 

By  the  liberal  subscriptions  of  the  members  of  the  church  peo- 
ple at  Mariadahl  and  other  congregations  in  the  Conference,  and 
by  the  Sunday  Schools,  and  by  selling  the  land  afore-named,  at 
$2,000.00,  funds  were  secured  to  pay  off  a  great  portion  of  the 
farm  at  Mariadahl.  On  March  22,  1880,  the  Home  was  dedicated, 
and  already  enabled  to  admit  children.  Since  this  time  many  im- 
provements have  been  made.  The  various  congregations  and  Sun- 
day Schools  have  annually  contributed  by  subscriptions  and  col- 
lections. 

Through  the  last  will  of  Hon.  John  A.  Johnson,  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  Mariadahl,  (he  came  to  this  place  1855),  the  home  re- 
ceived not  less  than  eight  thousand  dollars.  A  beautiful  example 
of  charity  and  love! 


MARIADAHL  ORPHAN'S   HOME.  275 

At  the  present  time  the  property  of  the  Orphan's  Home  consists 
of  five  hundred  acres  of  land;  the  main  building  of  stone,  40  by  40 
feet,  three  stories  high  with  addition  of  kitchen  and  laundry;  a  very 
pleasant  school  house  (frame);  barn  (stone);  smoke  house,  cribs, 
sheds,  etc.  The  present  value,  (including  real  estate,  live  stock, 
implements,  household  goods,  etc.),  is  nearly  thwenty  thousand 
dollars  and  without  debt. 

The  purpose  of  this  institution  is  that  it  be  a  home  for  destitute 
orphans,  where  they  are  supported  and  receive  a  Christian  educa- 
tion in  accordance  with  the  Lutheran  faith  and  confession;  although 
when  children  are  to  be  admitted,  no  reference  is  made  as  to  the 
creed  or  nationality  of  ancestors  of  same. 

Devotional  exercises  are  held  each  morning  and  evening  by  the 
superintendent  and  the  children  as  well  as  employes  are  requested 
to  attend,  thus  keeping  them  under  religious  influence. 

The  Home  has  a  school  of  its  own  where  the  children  are  in- 
structed in  all  the  branches  of  public  schools  by  a  competent  teach- 
er. In  the  summer,  two  months  Parochial  school  (in  the  Swedish 
language)  is  held. 

All  the  children  unless  too  young,  attend  the  Sunday  School  at 
Mariadahl  and  at  the  usual  age  are  confirmed  by  the  pastor  at 
Mariadahl  in  the  regular  classes  of  the  congregation.  At  the  age 
of  sixteen,  they  leave  the  home  prepared  to  take  up  the  tasks  that 
come  before  them  for  self  support. 

The  management  of  the  Home  is  intrusted  to  a  Board  of  Directors 
composed  of  four  ministers  and  three  laymen. 

This  Board  is  elected  by  and  responsible  to  the  conference.  The 
superintendent  and  matron  are  elected  by  the  Board,  and  take  the 
place  of  parents  to  the  children;  no  one  being  elected  to  this  place 
who  is  not  known  as  a  true  Christian  and  otherwise  have  the  nec- 
essary qualifications.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bengt  Berg  served  the  institu- 
tion faithfully  and  satisfactorily  as  superintendent  and  matron  for 
nearly  nineteen  years,  beginning  the  fall  of  1880.  They  were  suc- 
ceeded in  March,  1899  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Amel  G.  Johnson.  At  pres- 
ent Mr.  and  Mrs.  N.  H.  Youngberg  have  charge  of  the  work. 

Ninety-seven  children  have  been  adopted  and  at  present  thirty- 
nine  children  are  at  the  Home,  which  number  is  as  many  as  the 
Home  can  comfortably  lodge. 

The  present  Board  of  Directors  is  as  follows: 

Rev.  C.  J.  E.  Haterius,  Mariadahl,  Kansas,  President  and  Treas- 
urer; Rev.  F.  N.  Anderson,  Rev.  J.  Franzen,  Mr.  G.  O.  Maxell,  Mr. 
Chas.  Classon,  Rev.  A.  S.  Segerhammer,  Mr.  C.  J.  Holt. 


276  AUGUSTANA  LUTHER  LEAGUE. 

WORK  AMONG  THE  YOUNG  PEOPLE  AND  THE  ORGANIZA- 
TION OF  A  CONFERENCE  LUTHER  LEAGUE. 

When  and  where  the  first  Young  People's  Society  was  organized, 
I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain,  but  no  doubt  the  first  beginning 
was  made  by  Dr.  O.  Olsson  in  the  Bethany  congregation  at  Linds- 
borg,  Kansas,  who  it  is  related,  met  with  the  younger  people  for 
Bible  study  and  singing.  Of  course  no  definite  organization  was 
formed  until  several  years  later.  In  this  connection  it  may  be  in- 
teresting to  know  that  the  first  choir  was  started  by  Dr.  O.  Olsson, 
who  was  a  great  lover  of  music. 

Now,  and  for  several  years  an  extensive  work  has  been  going 
on  among  the  young  people  in  the  conference.  All  the  churches 
of  any  size  have  Young  People's  Societies,  now  usually  called 
Luther  Leagues. 

A  great  and  important  move  among  our  young  people  was  the 
organization  of  a  Conference  Luther  League.  Of  this  work  Prof. 
Frank  Nelson  has  kindly  furnished  the  following  sketch: 

At  the  thirty-first  annual  meeting  of  the  Kansas  Conference  of 
the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Augustana  Synod  held  in  Denver,  Colo- 
rado, in  May,  1901,  a  movement  was  inauguarated  for  a  closer  or- 
ganization of  the  young  people's  societies  of  the  Conference.  A 
committee  consisting  of  Rev.  G.  E.  Youngdahl,  Colorado  Springs, 
Colorado,  Rev.  C.  A.  Engstrand,  Walsburg,  Kansas,  Frank  Nelson 
and  Carl  Johns,  Lindsborg,  Kansas,  was  appointed  to  outline  a  plan 
of  organization  and  report  same  to  the  conference,  at  its  next  an- 
nual meeting.  A  number  of  circumstances  made  it  impossible  for 
the  committee  to  hold  a  meeting  and  hence  no  report  was  made  at 
the  conference  meeting  in  Friends  Home,  Kansas  in  1902.  The 
committee  appointed  at  the  Denver  meeting  was  dismissed  and  it 
seemed  for  the  time  being  as  though  nothing  would  be  done.  How- 
ever, at  the  next  annual  meeting  of  the  conference  held  in  Kansas 
City,  Missouri,  in  April,  1903,  another  effort  was  made  by  the 
friends  of  the  movement  to  secure  action  by  the  conference.  There- 
fore, the  conference  again  appointed  a  committee  to  outline  a  plan 
of  organization  for  the  young  people's  societies.  The  committee 
consisted  of  Frank  Nelson,  Lindsborg,  Kansas,  Rev.  Earnst  Phil- 
blad,  Lindsborg,  Kansas,  Rev.  C.  A.  Engstrand,  Walburg,  Kansas, 
Rev.  A.  W.  Lindquist,  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and  Mr.  J.  A.  Jacob- 
son,  Clay  Center,  Kansas.  This  committee  proceeded  at  once  to 
the  work.  As  a  result,  the  first  annual  convention  of  the  Kansas 
Conference  Luther  League  was    held   in    the    Swedish    Lutheran 


AUGUSTANA  LUTHER  LEAGUE.  277 

Church,  Topeka,  Kansas,  October  16,  17  and  18,  1903.  The  fol- 
lowing officers  were  elected:  President,  Frank  Nelson,  Lindsborg, 
Kansas;  Vice  President,  Dr.  J.  Ekholm,  Falun,  Kansas;  Secretary, 
Miss  Serephine  Erickson,  Kansas  City,  Missouri;  Treasurer,  Mr. 
Emil  Cederberg,  Walsburg,  Kansas.  The  first  convention  was 
largely  attended  both  by  the  ministers  of  the  conference  and  by 
delegates  from  a  great  many  of  the  local  Luther  Leagues.  It  was 
felt  from  the  beginning  that  the  League  had  a  place  to  fill  and  a 
work  to  perform.  The  young  people  manifested  an  unusual  degree 
of  interest  in  the  organization  and  the  pastors  assisted  in  a  very 
cordial  and  generous  spirit. 

The  second  annual  convention  of  the  Kansas  Conference  Luther 
League  was  held  in  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church  at  Kackley,  Kan- 
sas, August  19,  20  and  21,  1904.  The  following  officers  were  elect- 
ed for  the  ensuing  year.  President,  Frank  Nelson,  Lindsborg,  Kan- 
sas; Vice  President,  Rev.  G.  A.  Dorf,  Burdick,  Kansas;  Secretary, 
Miss  Seraphine  Erickson,  Kansas  City,  Missouri;  Treasurer,  Mr. 
Frank  Lann,  Axtell,  Kansas.  The  convention  was  largely  attended 
and  was  in  every  respect  a  decided  success. 

The  third  annual  convention  was  held  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri, 
September  22,  23  and  24,  1905.  The  attendance  was  unusually 
large  and  the  interest  at  all  the  sessions  were  such  as  to  inspire 
hope  and  confidence  for  the  future.  Twelve  ministers  of  the  con- 
ference attended  the  convention  and  participated  in  the  programs 
and  business  sessions.lt  was  the  universal  opinion  that  the  conven- 
tion was  the  best  of  its  kind  in  the  history  of  the  young  people's 
work  of  the  southwest.  It  is  not  necessary  to  add  that  all  the  con- 
ventions were  marked  with  a  strong  religious  and  Lutheran  spirit 
and  the  part  taken  in  the  programs  by  the  young  people  reflected 
great  credit  upon  them  and  upon  the  conference  as  a  whole. 

At  its  annual  meeting  at  Fremont,  Kansas  in  April,  1905,  the 
Kansas  Conference  officially  and  unanimously  endorsed  and  accept- 
ed the  Kansas  Conference  Luther  League.  A  report  of  the  work 
of  the  League  is  presented  each  year  to  the  president  of  the  con- 
ference and  the  League  is  in  all  respects  under  the  direction  and 
control  of  the  conference. 

The  object  of  the  Kansas  Conference  Luther  League  is  to  interest 
the  young  people  in  the  work  of  the  Lutheran  Church  and  to  bring 
them  in  closer  touch  with  the  conference  work.  Experience  has 
fully  demonstrated  that  our  Swedish  Lutheran  Young  People  do 
not  affiliate  with  the  English  State  Luther  League  or  with  the  Na- 
itonal  Luther  League.     It  is  believed  that  through  the  Conference 


278  AUGUSTANA   LADIES  AID  AND   MISSIONARY   SOCIETIES. 

Luther  League  it  will  be  possibly  eventually  to  secure  representa- 
tion from  our  young  people  to  the  State  and  National  Luther 
League.  We  desire  to  make  our  contribution  to  the  strength  and 
power  of  the  Lutheran  Church  of  America. 


LADIES'  AID    SOCIETY    AND    THE    WOMAN'S    HOME    AND 
FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 

The  first  Aid  Society  among  the  women  of  the  Kansas  Confer- 
ence was  no  doubt  organized  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  Records 
show  that  the  ladies  interested  in  church  work  met  and  organized 
a  so-called  Sewing  Society  in  the  winter  of  1869.  Later  similar 
organizations  were  formed  in  Mariadahl,  Lindsborg,  Salemsburg, 
and  other  places.  One  and  two  societies  are  now  found  in  almost 
all  congregations.  They  are  doing  a  great  and  noble  work  for  the 
church.  Thousands  of  dollars  have  been  raised  by  these  organiza- 
tions for  church  and  benevolent  purposes.  At  present  the  various 
ladies  societies  of  the  conference  have  a  Woman's  Conference  So- 
ciety. 

The  Woman's  Missionary  Society  of  the  Kansas  Conference  was 
organized  at  Lindsborg,  Kansas,  in  the  Spring  of  1901.  Mrs.  Ellen 
Wikstrand  was  elected  President  and  Mrs.  Hannah  Granville  Ander- 
son, Secretary.  The  meeting  bespoke  of  hope  and  inspiration  for 
future  work.  Missionary  songs  were  sung  interspersed  with  greet- 
ings and  short  addresses. 

The  next  meeting  was  held  at  Friends  Home  in  1902.  In  1903 
the  society  convened  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  This  was  a  large 
and  interesting  meeting.  Several  very  good  papers  were  read  by 
our  women  at  this  meeting.  Mrs.  Wikstrand  was  reelected  Presi- 
dent and  Mrs.  A.  W.  Lindquist,  Secretary. 

No  meeting  was  held  in  1904  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  Synodical 
Society  was  to  convene  at  Lindsborg  a  month  later. 

In  1905  the  meeting  was  held  at  Fremont  and  in  1906  at  Assaria. 
Mrs.  Wikstrand  continuing  as  President  and  Mrs.  Hannah  Gran- 
ville Anderson  elected  Secretary.  Both  of  these  meetings  were  in- 
teresting and  inspiring  and  well  attended. 

Aside  from  the  regular  contributions  to  the  various  funds  of  the 
Synodical  Society,  this  society  decided  to  support  the  Missionary 
on  the  Conference  Mission  Field  at  Fort  Worth,  Texas. 

May  God's  richest  blessing  rest  on  this  little  branch,  "The  Wo- 
man's Missionary  Society  of  the  Kansas  Conference" — may  it  grow 


AUGUSTANA   HOME  FOR  AGED.  279 

and  become  a  still  greater  power  for  good,  and  may  it  be  the  means 
of  bringing  many  souls  into  the  fold  of  God's  kingdom. 


HOME  FOR  THE  AGED. 

As  yet  the  conference  has  no  home  for  the  aged,  but  the  matter 
was  discussed  at  the  meeting  in  Fremont,  Kansas,  1905.  Then  it 
was  also  announced  that  a  certain  man  had  donated  some  money 
for  this  cause  and  that  he  would  do  more.  The  prime  mover  in  this 
work  is  Mr.  Francis  Johnson,  Treasurer  of  the  Conference. 


CONCLUSION. 


In  presenting  this  brief  history  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
in  Kansas  and  in  the  Kansas  Conference,  we  have  not  gone  into 
detail.  It  is  merely  an  outline  of  the  work.  In  the  future  we  trust 
this  sketch  may  be  augmented.  To  all  who  have  assisted  in  pre- 
paring this  history  we  extend  our  sincere  thanks. 

And  now  unto  Him  that  loves  us,  and  washes  us  from  our  sins  in 
His  blood,  and  maketh  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  His 
Father,  to  Him  be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever! 

Good  Friday,  1907. 


280  BIOGRAPHICAL — CHARTER    MEMBERS. 

BIOGRAPHICAL— CHARTER    MEMBERS, 

PIONEERS  and  PRESENT  MEMBERS, 

KANSAS  SYNOD. 

CHARTER  MEMBERS. 

Mr.  Andrew  Peter  Benson  of  Topeka,  was  born  in  Falshepen, 
Sweden,  June  24,  1832.  O.me  to  the  U.  S.  in  1851,  residing  at 
Boston,  Chicago,  Lexington,  Mo.,  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  arriving  in 
Topeka  in  1866,  and  is  still  living  there,  a  member  of  the  First 
church.     He  was  a  charter  member  of  Kansas  Synod. 

Matthew  Garner  Boyer,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  Huntington  Co.,  Pa. 
Mch.  10,  1839,  graduated  by  Gettysburg  1865,  enlisted  in  Union 
army  to  drive  rebels  from  Pa.,  and  Md.,  graduate  of  Gettysburg 
Theol.  Sem.,  licensed  by  Allegheny  Synod,  and  was  the  first  ordina- 
tion of  Kansas  Synod  in  1868,  a  charter  member.  He  served  charges 
at  Marklesburg,  Pa.,  Atchison,  Kan.,  Sand  Lake,  N.  Y.,  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  is  now  retired  in  Philadelphia.  He  received  the  M.  A.  and 
D.  D.  degrees  from  Penna.  College. 

John  G.  Ellinger,  was  born  in  "Welzheim,  Germany,  March  16, 
1811,  a  graduate  in  Germany  and  a  student  of  Gettysburg,  ordained 
in  1839,  pastor  at  New  Berlin,  of  York,  Pa.,  in  Stark  and  Mahoning 
Cos.,  Ohio.  He  came  to  Kansas  in  1864,  resided  at  Pardee  and 
died  at  Ottawa,  Feb.  25,  1875.  He  was  a  charter  member  of  Kan- 
sas Synod. 

Simon  Peter  Harrington,  was  born  at  Spruce  Creek,  Pa.,  Nov. 
27,  1827.  After  a  course  in  private  tutorship  was  ordained  in  1859 
by  East  Ohio  Synod.  After  serving  pastorates  in  Ohio  he  came  to 
Kansas  in  1865  taking  charge  at  Monrovia  and  Valley  Falls.  He 
was  pastor  at  Peabody,  Abilene,  Banner  City,  and  for  a  time  Trav- 
elling Missionary  of  Kansas  Synod.  In  1889  he  joined  the  Reform 
Church  holding  pastorates  at  Maquoketa,  la.,  and  Dakota,  Ills., 
and  Imogene,  la.  In  1900  he  retired  at  Kansas  City  dying  there 
Jan.  14,  1901.     He  was  a  charter  member  of  Kansas  Synod. 

Rev.  A.  J.  Hesson,  was  born  in  Adams  Co.,  Pa.  in  1839,  was 
graduated  by  Wittenberg  in  1865,  by  Gettysburg  Theol.  Sem.  in 
1867,  ordained  by  Miami  Synod  in  1868,  pastor  at  Topeka,  Law- 
rence, Kans.,  Mercersburg,  Pa.,  Peabody  and  Hutchinson,  Kans., 
and  at  present  Rogers  Park  Mission,  Chicago.  He  was  a  charter 
member  of  Kansas  Synod. 

George  Washington  Householder,  was  born  Sept.  1,  1825,  at 
Rays  Hill,  Pa.,  came  to  Kansas  City  in  1867,  and  at  once  identified 
himself  with  the  newly  organized  church  there.  He  established 
the  "Daily  Evening  Bulletin,"  which  later  became  the  "Star."  He 
died  at  Kansas  City  July  5,  1906.  He  was  a  charter  member  of 
Kansas  Synod. 


BIOGRAPHICAL — CHARTER  MEMBERS,  PIONEERS.  281 

E.  J.  Keplinger,  was  born  at  Osborn,  O.,  Octo.  9,  1841,  grad- 
uated by  Wittenberg  in  1866  and  that  Seminary  in  1867,  ordained 
in  1867,  served  pastorates  at  Tipton  and  Versailles,  Mo.,  engaged 
in  business  at  Valley  Falls.  He  was  the  first  secretary  of  Kansas 
Synod  at  organization.  He  was  dropped  from  roll  of  Kansas 
Synod  in  1886.  For  28  years  in  business,  Pueblo,  Colo.,  where 
he  died  Nov.   17,   1878. 

Josiah  B.  McAfee,  D.  D.,  was  born  at  Port  Royal,  Pa.,  in  1830. 
He  took  a  special  course  in  Gettysburg  College  and  a  course  in 
Theology  under  a  private  tutor.  He  was  ordained  in  1856  and  a 
pastor  at  Leavenworth  and  Valley  Falls.  Since  1862  he  has  been 
without  a  charge.  He  was  a  charter  member  of  Kansas  Synod. 
He  received  the  A.  M.  degree  from  Wittenberg  and  D.  D.  from  Mid- 
land College  in  1907. 

John  George  Schmucker,  was  born  at  Cove  Forge,  Pa.,  in  1825, 
a  grandson  of  Rev.  John  G.  Schmucker,  D.  D.,  of  York,  Pa.,  nephew 
of  Rev.  S.  S.  Schmucker,  D.  D.  Took  partial  course  at  Gettysburg 
College.  Lived  at  Tipton  and  West  Liberty,  la.,  came  to  Lawrence, 
Kansas,  1866.  Moved  to  Ellsworth  in  1878,  dying  at  ElDorado, 
Aug.  18,  1898.     He  was  a  charter  member  of  Kansas  Synod. 

Adam  Willis  W agnails,  was  born  at  Lithopolis,  O.,  in  1843,  was 
graduated  by  Wittenberg  in  1866,  Wittenberg  Theol.  Sem.,  in  1868. 
His  only  pastorate  was  Kansas  City  where  he  remained  one  year. 
After  a  residence  in  Atchison  he  moved  to  New  York  in  1876,  and 
became  one  of  the  founders  of  the  great  publishing  house  of  the 
Funk  &  Wagnalls  Co.     He  was  a  charter  member  of  Kansas  Synod. 


SOME   PIONEERS. 

Rev.  J.  A.  Clutz,  D.  D.,  was  born  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  1846,  grad- 
uated by  Penna.  Col.,  1869  and  Sem.  1872,  ordained  by  Md.  Synod, 
1872,  served  charges  at  Newville,  Pa.,  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  Moray, 
Kan.  Sec.  Board  Foreign  Missions,  1877-83,  Secretary  Board 
Home  Missions,  1883-88.  Pres.  Midland  College,  1888-1905.  D. 
D.  in  1889,  Penna.  College. 

T.  F.  Dornblaser,  D.  D.,  was  born  at  Clintondale,  Pa.,  in  1841, 
graduated  by  Wittenberg  in  1871,  Sem.  in  1873,  served  pastorates 
at  Lucas,  O.,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  Topeka,  Kan.,  Bucyrus,  O.,  Dixon, 
and  Chicago,  Ills.  He  was  Synodical  Secretary  of  Kansas  Synod 
1878-80,  and  for  a  few  months  in  1887.  A.  M.  and  D.  D.  degrees 
were  conferred  by  Wittenberg  College. 

David  Earhart,  was  born  in  Indiana  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1818.  His  edu- 
cation was  mostly  by  private  tutors,  classical  and  theological.  He 
was  ordained  by  East  Ohio  Synod  in  1844.  He  served  pastorates 
at  Leechburg,  Pa.,  at  Forks  church,  St.  Matthews,  St.  Lukes,  in 
that  neighborhood  where  he  built  substantial  churches.  He  was 
a  charter  member  of  Pittsburg  Synod  in  1845.  He  built  churches 
in  Armstrong  and  Westmorland  Cos.     In  1860  he  came  to  Kansas. 


282  BIOGRAPHICAL — SOME    PIONEERS. 

For  his  work  in  Kansas  see  the  Pioneer  chapter.  He  published 
two  excellent  booklets  on  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  He  died 
in  Kansas  City,  Aug.  14,  1903. 

George  D.  Gotwald,  was  born  September  18,  1862,  at  Shippens- 
burg,  Pa.,  graduated  by  Gettysburg  in  1882  (Highest  Honors),  by 
Gettysburg  Theol.  Sem.  in  1885.  He  served  pastorates  at  Salina 
and  Kansas  City  Memorial  church,  died  at  Kansas  City,  Jan.  12, 
1889.    See  Sketch  of  Midland  College. 

Levi  C.  Grosclose,  was  born  June  6,  1820,  in  Wythe  Co.,  Va., 
took  a  partial  course  at  Gettysburg,  was  licensed  by  the  old  South- 
west Va.,  Synod  in  1849.  His  pastorates  were,  in  Davidson  and 
Stokes  Cos.,  Salisbury,  Gold  Hill  and  Mt.  Pleasant,  N.  C;  Jones- 
horo  and  Irving,  Ills.;  at  Eureka,  Kan.,  where  he  died  May  2,  1905. 

David  Harbaugh,  was  born  at  Waynesboro,  Pa.,  took  a  partial 
course  at  Wittenberg,  ordained  by  Wittenberg  Synod,  1851,  served 
charges  at  Charleston,  Noblesville;  Bakers  and  Mt.  Zion  churches 
near  Springfield,  Ohio,  Boon  Co.,  Ky.,  Dixon,  Ills.,  was  connected 
with  Mendota  College  13  yeaps,  came  to  Waterville  in  1869  serving 
Waterville  and  later  Monrovia  and  Valley  Falls,  and  since  1890 
retired,  Colorado  Springs,  Col. 

J.  E.  Herbst,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  in  1825,  grad- 
uated by  Penna.  College  in  1846,  instructor  in  Virginia  Collegiate 
Institute,  graduated  in  medicine  in  Penna.,  surgeon  in  U.  S.  A., 
came  to  Kansas  in  1879  locating  at  Abilene.  Was  Treasurer  of 
Kansas  Synod  three  years.     Died  in  Kansas  City  June  19,  1898. 

James  Angus  Lowe,  was  born  in  Smicksburg,  Pa.,  in  1851,  grad- 
uated from  Glade  Run  Academy,  and  Wittenberg  College,  1875. 
After  a  seminary  course  he  was  licensed  in  1876.  He  came  to 
Kansas  in  1879  locating  at  White  Rock,  Waterville,  Hutchinson, 
Wichita,  and  Chapman,  Kan.,  Jerico,  Mo.,  and  Beatrice,  Neb. 

Charles  Martin,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Norristown,  Pa.,  in  1812, 
graduated  in  medicine  by  University  of  Pa.,  in  1833,  in  Theology 
at  Gettysburg  in  1837.  For  ten  years  he  was  pastor  of  St.  James 
New  York  City,  then  at  York,  Pa.,  principal  of  Lutherville  Female 
Seminary,and  Kee  Mar  Sem.  In  1866  he  came  to  St.  Joseph,  found- 
ed St.  Joseph  Young  Ladies  Institute,  remaining  with  it  till  1894, 
served  as  pastor  at  Moray,  Kan.,  died  at  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  1896. 

Jacob  Schauer,  was  born  in  Green  Co.,  O.,  in  1823,  took  partial 
course  at  Wittenberg  and  Seminary,  served  pastorates  at  Upper 
Sandusky,  Hamilton,  Tiffin,  Tippecanoe  City,  West  Brookfield,  and 
Tarlton,  Ohio  coming  to  Kansas  in  1878,  organizing  churches  at 
Greenleaf  and  Barnes,  also  serving  charges  at  Bunker  Hill  and 
Perth.     He  died  at  Topeka,  Oct.  14,  1905. 

F.  R.  Scherer,  was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1822,  educated  at 
Hillsboro  College,  ordained  in  Ohio,  pastor  at  Lyons,  Dewitt,  Lost 
Grove;  and  Zions  near  Davenport,  all  of  Iowa,  and  at  Walnut  Grove 
Scott  Co.,  Rapids  City,  Mt.  Pleasant,  and  Morristown,  Ills.,  came  to 
Kansas  in  1870  locating  at  Waterville,  where  he  preached  in  a  pas- 


BIOGRAPHICAL — SOME    PIONEERS,    PRESENT    MEMBERS.  283 

senger  coach   for  a  season,  organized   Ebenezer  church,  died    at 
Waterville,  Sept.  11,  1889. 

William  C.  Seidel,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  Germany  in  1843,  took 
partial  courses  at  Mendota  and  Gettysburg  colleges,  and  full  theol. 
course  at  Gettysburg,  1873.  Ordained  by  N.  Ills.,  Synod,  1873, 
served  pastorates  at  Davis,  Ills.,  came  to  Kansas  in  1876  locating 
at  Minneapolis,  as  a  home  missionary  supported  by  his  father-in- 
law,  John  Wolsfensperger,  of  Sterling,  Ills.  For  eleven  years  he 
did  missionary  work  over  several  counties  about  Minneapolis.  Serv- 
ed Ottawa  one  year,  Carlisle,  Pa.,  Cairo,  Ills.,  and  Nashville,  Tenn. 
Midland  College  gave  him  the  D.  D.  degree  in  1907. 

A.  A.  Trimper,  was  born  at  Claverrack,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  17,  1810. 
graduated  by  Mt.  Union  College,  Gettysburg  Theol.  Sem.  in  1840, 
pastor  at  Hillsboro,  Ills.,  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  Lena  and  Dixon,  Ills., 
and  Lawrence,  Kans.  In  1858  he  was  President  of  Mendota  Col- 
lege. He  united  with  the  Presbyterian  church  for  a  short  time, 
soon  returning  to  his  mother  church,  and  died  at  Lawrence,  Dec.  28, 
1884. 

Joseph  H.  Talbott,  was  born  at  Canal  Dover,  O.,  in  1832,  lived  at 
Des  Moines,  la.,  and  in  1857  came  to  Monrovia,  Kan.,  and  to  Atch- 
ison in  1862.  At  these  places  he  was  closely  identified  with  church- 
es organized  there.  His  services  were  valuable  in  bringing  Mid- 
land College  to  Atchison.     See  sketch,  Atchison. 

Charles  Young,  was  born  at  New  Oxford,  O.,  educated  at  Gettys- 
burg, served  charges  at  Dixon,  Davis,  Rock  Grove,  and  Cedarville, 
Ills.,  and  came  to  Kansas  in  1872,  organized  church  at  Salina  and 
New  Cambria,  and  the  Shirar  church.  He  died  at  Salina  Feb.  20, 
1889. 


PRESENT  ROLL  OF  MEMBERS. 

Frank  Degraff  Altman,  D.  D.,  President  of  the  Western  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  Atchison,  was  born  at  Richmond,  Ind.,  in  1855; 
graduated  from  Wittenberg  College,  1880; Witt.  Theol.  Sem.,  1882; 
ordained,  1882.  He  served  pastorates  at  Tippecanoe  City,  O.,  Em- 
poria, Kan.,  and  Kansas  City,  (Memorial)  Mo.  His  Alma  Mater 
gave  him  the  M.  A.  degree  in  1883,  and  Bethany  College,  the  divin- 
ity degree  in  1897.  In  1895  he  became  President  of  the  Western 
Theological  Seminary. 

George  Beiswanger ,  was  born  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  took  partial 
course  at  Penna.  Col.  and  graduated  at  Seminary,  1895,  ordained 
by  Md.  Synod,  served  charges  at  Sparrows  Point,  Md.,  Baltimore, 
Md.,  Vandergrift  Heights,  Pa.,  and  at  Oklahoma  City,  his  present 
charge. 

James  M.  Barnes,  was  born  at  Butler,  Ills.,  1875,  was  graduated 
by  Witt.  Coll.,  1902,  Witt.  Sem.  1905,  served  as  pastor  at  Slater, 
la.,  and  Bunker  Hill  Kan.     A.  M.  degree,  Wittenberg,  1905. 


284  BIOGRAPHICAL — PRESENT    MEMBERS. 

Fuller  Bergstresser,  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  a  graduate  of 
Gettysburg,  1891,  of  the  Gettysburg  Theological  Sem.,  1894,  was 
ordained  1894,  when  he  became  pastor  of  Bethel  church,  Allegheny, 
Pa.  In  1900  he  became  pastor  at  Abilene.  He  is  a  son  of  the  late 
Dr.  Peter  Bergstresser. 

Edwin  Bollman,  was  born  at  Dixon,  Ills.,  in  1858,  graduated  by 
Carthage  in  1886  and  by  Witt.  Theol.  Sem.,  in  1889.  He  served 
pastorates  at  Forreston,  Ills.,  Pearl  City,  Ills.,  Davenport  and  Wil- 
ber  Nebr.,  and  Effingham,  his  present  charge. 

John  Adam  Bright,  was  born  at  Aaronsburg,  Pa.,  in  1845;  took 
a  special  course  at  Gettysburg  College,  a  private  course  in  theology 
was  ordained  in  1875,  and  served  pastorates  at  Nittany  and  Jersey 
Shore,  Pa.,  and  Ellsworth,  Kan.  He  has  been  without  a  charge 
since  1885.  For  four  years  he  was  Sec'y  Kansas  State  S.  S.  Ass'n, 
and  is  now  an  evangelist.  He  expects  to  take  charge  of  the  Cam- 
pus charge  Oct.,  1907. 

G.  Gerlau  Clark,  was  born  at  Casstown,  O.,  1864,  graduated  by 
Wittenberg,  1890,  Sem.,  1893,  served  charges  at  New  Castle,  Ind., 
Bellevue,  Ky.,  Lynchburg  and  Lucas,  O.,  and  Emporia,  Kan.  In 
1887  he  published  a  History  of  Wittenberg  College. 

James  Monroe  Cromer,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  Grace  Church,  Kansas 
City,  was  born  in  111.,  graduated  from  Carthage  College  in  1875, 
and  from  Wittenberg  Theol.  Sem.  in  1877,  in  which  year  he  was 
also  ordained.  He  served  pastorates  at  Hillsboro  and  Washing- 
ton, Ills.,  and  at  First  and  Grace  churches  in  Kansas  City.  He 
also  was  a  professor  in  Carthage  College  for  a  while.  He  received 
the  degrees  of  M.  A.  and  D.  D.,  from  his  Alma  Mater. 

./.  F.  Cressler,  of  New  Cambria,  was  born  in  Franklin  Co.,  Pa., 
in  1845,  graduated  from  Gettysburg  College  in  1869,  and  from  that 
Seminary  in  1872,  when  he  was  also  ordained.  He  served  pastor- 
ates at  Maysville,  and  Millertown,  Pa.,  New  Franklin,  O.,  Break- 
abeen,  N.  Y.,  Lisbon,  la.,  Tekamah,  and  Rising  City,  Neb.,  and  New 
Cambria,  Kans.  He  received  the  A.  M.  degree  from  Gettysburg 
College. 

Frank  S.  Delo,  was  born  at  Elkhart,  Ind.,  in  1865,  graduated  by 
Wittenberg,  1891,  same  Sem.  1894,  ordained  by  Miami  Synod,  1894. 
Pastorates,  Xenia,  O.,  Pleasantville,  and  Roaring  Springs,  Pa., 
Orangeville  and  Mt.  Morris,  Ills.,  and  Hutchinson,  Kan.  He  de- 
livered his  lecture  illustrated,  "Our  Missions  in  India  and  Africa," 
over  200  times,  and  for  a  season  edited  the  Children's  Missionary. 

M.  L.  Exline,  was  born  in  Tuscarawas  Co.,  O.,  in  1853,  took  a 
theological  course  in  Susquehanna  Univ.,  ordained  by  Susquehanna 
Synod,  1888.  Served  charges  in  Ohio  and  Indiana  coming  to*  Kan- 
sas in  1904,  engaging  in  secular  business  at  Stafford. 

/.  B.  Grove,  was  born  in  Tarlton,  O.,  took  partial  course  at  Witt. 
College  and  full  seminary  course  there  1898,  served  charges  at 
Tiro,  O.,  Canon  City,  Colo.,  and  Norcatur,  Kan.,  his  present  charge. 


BIOGRAPHICAL — PRESENT   MEMBERS.  285 

Henry  Hosea  Hall,  D.  D.,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  a  graduate  of  Wit- 
tenberg College,  1867,  of  Witt.  Theol.  Sem.,  1868.  He  was  or- 
dained in  1870.  His  pastorates  were,  Leechburg  and  Mongahela 
City,  Pa.,  Canal  Dover,  Millersburg,  and  Van  Wert,  O.,  Tipton,  la., 
Litchfield  and  Fillmore,  Ills.,  and  Chapman,  Kan.  He  received  the 
doctorate  from  Wittenberg  in  1894. 

Israel  Bucer  Heisey,  is  enjoying  the  longest  pastorate  of  any 
Kansas  pastor.  He  was  born  in  Elizabethtown,  Pa.  He  took  a 
special  course  at  Midland,  was  a  graduate  of  the  Western  Theol. 
Sem.  1892,  and  ordained  that  year  when  he  took  charge  of  the 
Waterville  pastorate,  of  which  he  is  still  pastor. 

Samuel  Henry,  retired,  Independence,  Kansas,  was  born  at  Ab- 
bottstown,  Pa.,  in  1828,  took  a  special  course  at  Gettysburg  College 
graduating  from  that  Seminary  in  1850.  He  was  ordained  in  1852 
and  served  pastorates  at  Dillsburg,  Pa.,  Westminister,  Md.,  Phillips- 
burg,  N.  Y.,  Mifflinburg,  Pa.,  and  Ottawa,  Kansas.  He  retired  in 
1886  owing  to  ill  health. 

W.  W.  Horn,  the  new  pastor  at  Topeka,  entered  the  Lutheran 
ministry  in  1901  uniting  with  the  Iowa  Synod  as  pastor  at  Lisbon. 
In  September,  1902  he  took  charge  of  the  Princeton,  111.,  church, 
and  on  Oct.  1,  1907,  that  of  Topeka. 

A.  B.  Kirtland,  of  Salina,  (Retired  since  1891),  was  born  in  Con- 
necticut in  1832.  He  took  a  special  course  in  Wittenberg  College 
and  was  graduated  from  that  Seminary  in  1857  and  ordained  the 
same  year.  He  has  served  pastorates  at  Upper  Sandusky,  Nevada, 
and  Crestline,  O.,  Waterloo  City,  Ind.,  New  Lisbon,  O.,  and  New 
Cambria,  Kan. 

Henry  Adam  Koogle,  of  Chapman,  was  born  in  1847,  took  four 
years  course  at  Wittenberg  College,  was  ordained  in  1889,  and 
served  pastorates  at  Bunker  Hill,  Chapman,  and  Banner  City.  Fail- 
ing health  compelled  him  to  relinquish  the  active  pastorate  several 
years  ago. 

Benjamin  R.  Lantz,  pastor  of  the  First  English  church  at  St. 
Joseph,  Mo.,  was  born  at  Hagerstown,  Md.,  graduated  from  Gettys- 
burg College  in  1894,  and  from  the  same  Seminary  in  1898,  or- 
dained 1898.  He  served  charges  at  Millerburg,  Pa.,  and  St.  Joseph, 
Mo. 

Samuel  Martin  Lesher,  was  born  at  McConnelsburg,  Pa.,  a  grad- 
uate of  Midland  College  1892,  Gettysburg  Theol.  Sem.  1895,  and 
ordained  the  same  year.  His  pastorates  were  at  Effingham,  Kan., 
Dakota  City,  Nebr.,  and  Sedalia,  Mo. 

William  A.  Livers,  was  born  at  Waterville,  was  graduated  from 
Midland  College  in  1901,  and  Western  Theol.  Sem.  in  1901  and  or- 
dained the  same  year.  He  served  at  Perth  and  on  account  of  fail- 
ing health  is  obliged  to  live  in  the  Rockies. 

N.  W.  Lilly,  was  born  in  Northumberland  Co.,  Penna.,  graduated 
from  Gettysburg  in  1857,  ordained  in  1858.  After  serving  several 
charges  in  Pa.,  he  took  charges  Millersburg,  Washingtonville,  and 
Letonia,  Ohio,  Forreston,  Ills.,  -and  Haskell,  Kans. 


286  BIOGRAPHICAL — PRESENT   MEMBERS. 

George  S.  Murphy,  was  born  at  Reedsville,  Pa.,  in  1865,  grad- 
uated from  Wittenberg  College  in  1893,  tutor  in  Greek  at  same  in- 
stitution 1893-5,  ordained  1905,  Professor  at  Wittenberg  1895-1903. 
Pastor  at  Mt.  Zion  Charge  Lucas,  O.,  and  Peabody,  Kan.  He  re- 
ceived the  A.  M.  degree  in  1896  from  Wittenberg. 

Oliver  MacWilliams,  was  born  in  % in   

graduated  by  Wittenberg,  1899,  by  Witt.  Sem.  1903,  licensed  by 
Wittenberg  Synod,  1902,  ordained  by  same,  1903.  Served  charges 
at  Bellville,  O.,  and  Eureka,  Kan. 

Hamilton  A.  Ott,  D.  D.,  was  born  at  North  Washington,  O.,  grad- 
uated from  Wittenberg  College,  1879,  Witt.  Theol.  Sem.  in  1881. 
He  served  pastorates  at  Xenia  and  Brookville,  O.,  and  at  Free- 
port  and  Quincy,  111.,  Topeka  and  Salina,  Kan.  He  received  from 
his  Alma  Mater  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  in  1882  and  Doctor 
of  Divinity  in  1905. 

Samuel  Palmer,  of  Lawrence  (Retired)  was  born  in  Franklin 
county,  Pa.  He  served  three  years  in  the  Civil  War,  after  which 
he  was  graduated  from  Gettysburg  College  and  Seminary  and  later 
was  ordained  by  a  Pennsylvania  Synod.  He  served  the  Pikeland 
and  Phoenixville  charges  in  Pa. 

Boaz  Franklin  Pugh,  was  born  in  1847,  graduated  from  Selins- 
grove  Institute  in  1874,  and  the  Seminary  at  the  same  place  in 
1877,  in  which  year  he  was  ordained.  He  served  pastorates  at 
Orangeville,  111.,  Rising  City,  and  Tekamah,  Nebr.,  Sabetha,  Well- 
ington, Ottawa  and  Garnett,  Kan.  He  was  in  the  Union  Army  and 
is  a  great  friend  of  the  G.  A.  R. 

Alva  Morton  Reitzel,  was  born  at  Pecksburg,  Ind.,  in  1865,  a 
graduate  from  the  Stockton,  Kan.,  Academy,  1891,  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1892,  graduated  from  Western  Theol.  Sem.  in  1897,  ordained 
1897,  served  as  pastor  Hutchinson,  Kan.,  Mendon,  Ills.,  and  Well- 
ington, Kan. 

Ambrose  Ellsworth  Renn,  pastor  of  St.  Mark's  at  Atchison,  was 
born  in  Lycoming  Co.,  Pa.,  graduated  from  Wittenberg  College, 
1893,  Witt.  Theol.  Sem.  1896,  ordained  1896.  His  pastorates  were 
Urbana,  Arcadia,  and  Mansfield,  O.,  and  Atchison,  Kan.  His  Alma 
Mater  gave  him  the  M.  A.  degree. 

Richard  Richter,  pastor  at  Greenleaf,  was  born  in  Berlin,  Ger- 
many, in  1874.  One  year  was  spent  in  a  special  school  preparatory 
for  missionaries  to  foreign  lands;  in  this  country  he  took  a  special 
course  of  three  years,  in  Wartburg  College  and  two  years  at  the 
German  Synod  of  Iowa  Seminary  at  Dubuque,  graduating  from  the 
Western  Theol.  Sem.  in  1902.  He  was  ordained  in  1902.  He 
served  congregations  at  Albuquerque  and  Belan,  N.  M.,  Benning- 
ton, Neb.  and  Greenleaf,  Kan. 

M.  F.  Rinker,  of  Stockton,  Cal.,  was  ordained  by  Kansas  Synod 
in  1886,  and  was  pastor  at  Greenleaf,  Washington,  and  Minneap- 
olis, Kan.  He  resided  after  this  at  Orkney  Springs,  Va.,  Cross 
Roads,  Ind.,  Beach  City,  O.,  McComb,  O.,  Grandview,  Ind.,  Utan 
Nebr.,  Denver,  Colo.,  and  Norcatur,  Kan. 


BIOGRAPHICAL — PRESENT   MEMBERS.  287 

Ralph  Paul  Schimmelpfennig,  Ph.  D.,  was  born  in  Germany,  a 
graduate  from  Breklum  in  1891,  and  from  the  Breklum  Sem.  later. 
He  was  ordained  by  the  German  Synod  of  Nebraska  in  1897.  He 
has  served  charges  at  near  North  Platte,  Phillips,  and  Humphrey, 
Nebr.,  and  Russell  and  Glasco,  Kan.  The  Central  University  of 
Indianapolis,  Ind.,  gave  him  the  Ph.  D.,  degree. 

Albert  B.  Shrader,  was  born  at  Mt.  Carroll,  Ills.,  graduated  by 
Carthage  College  in  1879,  and  Gettysburg  Theol.  Sem.  in  1882,  and 
ordained  the  same  year.  He  served  charges  at  Ponca  and  Grand 
Island,  Nebr.,  Cedar  Rapids  and  Nevada,  la.,  Lawrence,  Kans., 
Shelby,  O.,  and  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  (Memorial).  He  also  served 
as  field  Sec'y  for  Carthage  College.  He  received  the  M.  A.  degree 
from  Carthage  College. 

James  C.  Schindel,  was  born  at ,  graduated  by 

Susquehanna  University  and  same  Seminary,  1886,  ordained  by 
Susquehanna  Synod,  served  charges  at  Mt.  Carmel,  Pa.,  Fayette, 
N.  Y.,  Dumontville,  Circleville,  and  Newark,  O.,  and  at  present  has 
charge  of  the  First  church  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.  He  was  also  army 
chaplain  in  the  Phillipines. 

Fred  Ross  Shirck,  was  born  in  Washington  Co.,  Kan.,  in  1876, 
graduated  from  Midland  College  in  1903  and  from  the  Western 
Theol.  Sem.  in  1906,  and  was  ordained  at  Topeka,  October  19,  1906. 
He  is  located  at  Whitewater  as  pastor. 

Calvin  W.  Sifferd,  D.  D.,  was  graduated  -by  North  Carolina 
College  and  from  the  same  in  theology.  He  was  ordained  in 
1875,  and  served  charges  at  Anna,  111.,  Newark,  O.,  Carthage,  111., 
and  Ottawa,  Kan.  He  received  the  degrees  of  A.  M.,  and  D.  D., 
from  his  Alma  Mater. 

Ezra  Eugene  Stauffer,  was  born  at  Naperville,  Ills.,  graduating 
from  Midland  College,  1896,  and  from  the  Western  Theol.  Sem.  in 
1898,  during  which  year  he  was  ordained.  He  has  served  pastor- 
ates at  Wellington  and  Lawrence. 

J.  Howard  Stough,  Ph.  D.,  Professor  of  Greek  and  Latin  in  Mid- 
land College,  was  born  in  Richland  Co.,  O.,  graduated  from  Wit- 
tenberg College  in  1871,  and  from  that  Seminary  in  1872.  He 
served  pastorates  at  Letonia,  O.,  Knoxville,  la.,  Plymouth,  O.,  Tip- 
ton, la.,  and  Lena,  Ills.  He  was  Professor  of  Ancient  Languages 
and  Mental  and  Moral  Philosophy  at  Carthage  College  1883-4,  and 
has  occupied  his  present  position  since  1888.  Wittenberg  College 
conferred  upon  him  his  A.  M.  and  Ph.  D.,  degrees. 

Paul  G.  Tonsing,  of  Atchison,  was  graduated  from  Midland  Col- 
lege in  1893,  and  from  the  Western  Theol.  Sem.  in  1895,  ordained 
in  1895.     Was  pastor  at  Beloit,  Kan.,  and  Hardy,  Neb. 

/.  H.  Utesch,  of  Beloit  was  born  in  Germany,  received  his  class- 
ical training  at  Brecklum,  graduated  from  Western  Theol.  Sem., 
1904.     Was  pastor  at  Liberty,  Ills.,  and  Beloit,  Kan. 


288  BIOGRAPHICAL — PRESENT   MEMBERS. 

Robert  Berry  Whitchill,  retired,  of  Wellington,  was  born  in  1837, 
a  graduate  from  Selinsgrove  Institute  in  1862,  taking  a  divinity 
course  there.  Pastorates:  Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  Yellowcreek,  Mt.  Mor- 
ris, Litchfield,  and  Mendon,  Ills.,  and  Peabody,  St.  James  Abilene, 
New  Cambria  and  Wellington,  Kan. 

Charles  Fisher  Wiest,  was  born  at  York,  Pa.,  in  1873,  a  graduate 
of  Gettysburg,  1895,  Gettysburg  Seminary  1898,  and  ordained  the 
latter  year.  His  first  charge  was  at  Milroy,  Pa.,  second  at  Hays, 
Kan. 

Robert  Bruce  Wolf,  was  born  at  Center  Hall,  Pa.,  in  1870.  He 
was  graduated  from  Gettysburg  College  in  1891,  and  from  the  same 
Seminary  in  1894,  ordained  in  1894,  located  as  pastor  at  Eureka 
and  Kansas  City,  Kan. 

Harry  Lee  Yarger,  D.  D.,  Field  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Church 
Extension,  was  born  at  Hartleton,  Pa.,  in  1862,  was  graduated  from 
Gettysburg  College  in  1883,  and  from  the  Seminary  of  the  same 
in  1886,  when  he  was  ordained.  His  pastorates  were  Ellsworth, 
and  Lawrence,  Kan.,  and  Braddock,  Pa.  He  assumed  his  present 
office  in  1895.  He  received  the  divinity  degree  from  Carthage  in 
1898. 

John  N.  Zimmer,  of  Abilene,  was  ordained  in  1878,  and  has  serv- 
ed charges  at  West  Point,  Nebr.,  North  Hope,  Pa.,  New  Spring- 
field, O.,  Elk  City  and  Gelso,  Nebr.,  Sabetha,  Kan.,  Rising  City,  Elk 
City,  Benson,  and  Millard,  Neb.,  Wilson  and  Manchester,  Kan. 

Henry  Zimmerman,  was  born  at  Golden,  Ills.,  graduated  from 
Midland  College,  1893,  the  Western  Theol.  Sem.  in  1895,  and  was 
ordained  the  latter  year.  He  served  pastorates  at  Hays  City,  Kan., 
Stella,  Neb.,  and  Emporia,  Kan. 


PAROCHIAL  REPORTS 


OF 


Kansas  Synod 


AND  OF  THE 


Kansas  Conference  of  the  Augustana  Synod 

for  1906 


Together  With  a  Series  of  Statistical  Tables  Covering 
All  Lutheran  Bodies  in  Kansas 


COMPILED  BY 


REV.  R.  B.  WOLF 


290 


THE    EVANGELICAL    LUTHERAN 
CHURCH    IN    KANSAS. 


1907 


Embracing  Congregations  of  Every   Synod   and   Language   in  the 
State  of  Kansas. 

317  Congregations. 
30307  Communicants. 
45490  Baptized  Members. 


SUMMARY  BY  SYNODS. 


SYNOD 


-a  -° 
,53  D 

a 


The  Synod  of  Kansas 

The  German  Nebraska  Synod 

The  Swedish  Augustana. 

The  Joint  Synod  of  Ohio 

The  Synodical  Conf.   (Missouri) 

The  Norwegian  Synods 

The  Danish  Synods 

The  German  Synod  of  Iowa 

The  German  Evangelical  of  N.  A 

Grand  Total 


3798 

1588 

11119 

1375 

18910 

840 

350 

4110 

3400 

45700 


291 


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300 

Congregations  in  Kansas  belonging  to  the  Missouri  Synod,  and  inde- 
pendent congregations  served  by  Pastors  of  that  Synod,  with  com- 
municant   members. 

Afton,  44,  Aliceville,  17,  Albert  110,  Alma  325,  Alta  Vista  60,  Argen- 
tine 93,  Atchison  250,  Bonner  Springs  15,  Barnes  99,  Batesville  27, 
Bazine  82,  Bellefonte  77,  Bern  32,  Beverly  35,  Brazilton  205,  Bushton 
117,  Bremen  318,  Bremen  rural  193,  Bucklin  25,  Chase  65,  Cheney  70, 
Cimarron  11,  Clay  Center  56,  Clay  Center  rural  38,  Claflin  59,  Council 
Grove  29,  Coffeyville  129,  Deerfleld  28,  Dighton  21,  Dodge  City  24, 
Downs  76,  Ellinwood  238,  Ellsworth  21,  Ellsworth  rural  284,.  Fairview 
80,  Fair  West  107,  Germantown  59,  Grand  River  177,  Garden  City  20, 
Goffs  24,  Hanover  rural  193,  Haven  213,  Herkimer  97,  Herndon  51, 
Hillsboro  166,  Hope  254,  Horace  — ,  Hiawatha  53,  Herington  287,  Hum- 
boldt 142,  Independence  188,  Iola  25,  Junction  City  rural  117,  Kansas 
City,  Kansas  127,  Kensington  68,  Kinsley  20,  Kill  Creek  11,  Lakin  40, 
Lang  14,  Leavenworth  425,  Leoti  16,  Lincoln  333,  Lincolnville  188,  Linn 
194,  Linn  rural  145,  Ludell  119,  Luray  10,  Lydia  32,  Madison  10,  Mil- 
berger  141,  Monument  — ,  Mound  Ridge  45,  Mulberry  14,  McFarland 
123,  Natoma  135.  Natroma  82,  Netawaka  93,  Newton  184,  Nortonville 
rural  71,  Olpw  20,  Onaga  rural  157,  Onaga  80,  Oswego  22,  Palmer  161, 
Paola  rural  240,  Pierceville  13,  Pittsburg  194,  Plevna  35,  Potter  122, 
Prarie  Grove  48,  Ramona  61.  Red  Pluff  134,  Riley  30.  Rosenberg  76, 
Russell  Springs  11,  Sabetha  33,  Scott  City  15,  Shady  Bend  70,  Shady 
Brook  207,  Shockev  18,  Spring  Valley  138,  St.  Francis  60,  Strong  City 
60.  Stuttgart  94,  Svlvan  Grove  40S,  Sylvan  Grove  rural  15,  Tampa  rural 
65  Templin  140,  Topeka  257,  Traer  55,  Vassar  36,  Walula  70,  Wake- 
field 13,  Wathena  148,  White  City  53,  "Wilson  rural  54,  Winfleld  50, 
Winkler  56.  Witrup  47,  Yates  Center  rural  64. 

A  total  of  120  congregations,  11,650  communicants,  18,910  baptized 
members. 


Congregations    in    Kansas   belonging   to  the   Joint   Synod   of   Ohio,   etc., 
and  independent  congregations  served   by   pastors  of  that  Synod. 

Barnes  69,  Brookfield  132,  Cheyenne  140,  Fairview  51,  Lenexa  160, 
Morrowville,  Monument,  Mulberry,  Palmer  122,  Sycamore  Springs,  St. 
Francis,  Tescott,  Thomas,  Washington,  Wamego  52,  Wells  Creek, 
(above  without  numerals  are  parts  of  charges  and  included  in  other 
figures.) 
A  total  of  16  congregations,  616  communicants,  1375  baptized  members. 


Congregations    in    Kansas   belonging    to   the   German    Nebraska    Synod. 

Dorrance    104.    Greenleaf    110,    Glasco    120,    Home    175,    Hanover    218, 
Lancaster  27,  Russell  150,  Russell  rural  25,   Stickney  rural  62,  Stickney 
rural  30.     General  Synod  churches.     See  churches  loci. 
A  total  of  10  congregations,  1021  communicants,  1588  baptized  members. 


Congregations  belonging  to  the  Ev.  Lutheran  Synod  of  Iowa  and  other 
States,  and  independent  congregations  served  by  pastors  of  that 
Synod. 

Albert   122,   Athol   111.   Ellis    (2)    300,   Gaylord    (2)    100,   Herington    (2) 
100,   Kensington  160,   Logan   100,   Lydia  100,   Otis   (4)   325,   Pittsburg   (2) 
156,  Philipsburg  60,  Russell  (2)  230,  Stuttgart  195,  Tipton  (2)  150,  Wa- 
keenov    (2)    110. 
A  total  of  27   congregations,   2375  communicants,   4110  bapt.   members. 


Danish   Congregations   in    Kansas. 

Kansas   City,   Kansas   60,     Glasco   35,     Oak  Creek  40,     Randolph   40, 
Yuma  55. 
A  total  of  5  congregations,   230  communicants,   350  baptized  members. 


301 


Congregations  in  Kansas  belonging  to  the  German  Ev.  Synod  of  North 
America,  and  independent  congregations  served  by  pastors  of  that 
Synod. 

Alma  170,  Alida  75,  Atchison  132,  Berne  16,  Eudora  130,  Ellsworth 
38.  Ellinwood  125,  Great  Bend  14,  Herndon  180,  Herkimer  100,  Holy 
Rood  175,  Highland  60,  Hudson  160,  Inman  39,  Junction  City  55,  Kan- 
sas Citv,  Kansas  200,  Lawrence  45,  Lawrence  rural  23,  Leavenworth 
110,  Linn  117,  Lincoln  85,  Marysville  140,  Manhattan  60,  Nickerson  75, 
Nickerson  rural  61,  Newton  80.  Paola  92,  Powhattan  50,  Salina  75, 
Topeka  75,  Willow  Springs  190,  Wichita  123,  Wells  Creek  294. 

A  total   of  32   congregations,    2910   communicants. 


Norwegian  Congregations:  Atchison  Co.,  19,  Brown  Co.,  90,  Butler 
Co.,  20,  Doniphan  Co.,  190,  Greenwood  Co.,  (3)  210,  Jefferson  Co.,  30, 
Jewell  Co.,   40,  Norton  Co.,   35,   Phillips  Co.,   25,  Wilson  Co.,   20. 

A  total  of  12  congregations,   679  communicants. 


THE    THIRTY-NINE    CONVENTIONS    OF    THE    KANSAS    SYNOD. 


Year.           Place. 

President. 

1868  Topeka, 

S. 

P.    Harrington, 

1869  Atchison, 

M 

.    G.    Boyer, 

1869  Kansas  City, 

A. 

J.   Hesson, 

1870  Lawrence, 

A. 

J.  Hesson, 

1871  GrasshopperFalls  D. 

Harbaugh, 

1872  Monrovia, 

D. 

Harbaugh, 

1873  Kansas  City, 

R. 

Weiser, 

1874  Abilene, 

S. 

P.   Harrington, 

1875  Lawrence. 

S. 

P.  Harrington, 

1S76  Kansas  City, 

A. 

A.   Trimper, 

1877  Salina. 

T. 

F.    Dornblaser, 

1878  Peabbdy, 

T. 

F.   Dornblaser, 

1879  Abilene, 

T. 

F.    Dornblaser, 

1880  Lawrence. 

S. 

S.   Waltz, 

1881  Bunker  Hill, 

S. 

S.   Waltz, 

1882  Salina, 

S. 

S.    Waltz, 

1883  Eureka, 

A. 

J.  Kissell, 

1884  Topeka. 

A. 

J.   Kissell, 

18S5  Peabody. 

M. 

F.   Troxell, 

1886  Waterville, 

J. 

M.   Cromer, 

1887  Abilene. 

J. 

M.   Cromer, 

1888  Lawrence, 

W 

.   M.   Sparr, 

1889  Atchison, 

W 

.  M.   Sparr, 

1890  Salina, 

F. 

D.   Altman, 

1891  Emporia, 

F. 

D.   Altman, 

1892  Kansas  City, 

J. 

A.    Lowe, 

1893  Kansas  City, 

J. 

A.    Lowe, 

1894  Topeka. 

W. 

F.   Rentz, 

1895  Abilene, 

W, 

F.   Rentz, 

1896  Lawrence, 

A. 

E.  Wagner. 

1897  Peabody, 

A. 

E.    Wagner, 

1898  Hutchinson, 

H. 

C.    Haithcox, 

1899  Atchison. 

H. 

C.   Haithcox, 

1900  Waterville, 

H. 

L.  Yarger, 

1901  Wellington, 

H. 

L.  Yarger, 

1902  Salina, 

I. 

B.   Heisey, 

1903  St.  Joseph, 

I. 

B.    Heisey, 

1904  Eureka,   - 

R. 

B.  Wolf, 

1905  Emporia, 

R. 

B.   Wolf, 

1906  Topeka, 

H. 

A.   Ott, 

Secretary. 
E.  J.  Keplinger, 

E.  J.  Keplinger, 
S.  P.  Harrington, 
S.  P.  Harrington, 
S.  P.  Harrington, 
H.  B.  Belmer, 

S.  P.  Harrington, 

D.  S.  Altman, 

T.  F.  Dornblaser, 
T.  F.  Dornblaser, 
A.  K.  Felton, 
A.  K.  Felton. 
S.  P.  Harrington, 
J.  H.  Harpster, 
J.  H.  Harpster, 
J.  A.  Lowe, 
J.  A.  Lowe, 
M.  F.  Troxell, 
J.  A.  Lowe, 

F.  D.  Altman, 

F.  D.  Altman, 

G.  D.  Gotwald, 
G.  D.  Gotwald, 
H.  L.  Yarger, 
H.  L.  Yarger, 
W.  L.  Seabrook, 
R.  B.  Whitehill, 
R.  B.  Whitehill, 
H.  M.  Oberholtzer, 
H.  M.  Oberholtzer, 
J.  F.  Seibert, 

J.  F.  Seibert, 
J.  F.  Seibert, 
R.  B.  Wolf, 
R.  B.  Wolf, 
R.  B.  Wolf, 

E.  E.  Stauffer, 
E.  E.  Stauffer, 
E.  E.  Stauffer, 
J.  J.  Chambers, 


Treasurer. 


A.    W.   Wagenhals 

J.    G.    Groenmiller. 

J.   G.   Groenmiller. 

D.    Earhart. 

J.  H.  Schell. 

J.   H.    Schell. 

J.    H.    Schell. 

J.   B.   Schell. 

J.  B.  Schell. 

J.  B.  Schell. 

P.   Weidlein. 

C.  H.  Lebold. 

J.  E.  Herbst. 

L.   P.   Firey. 

J.   E.    Tressler. 

J.    E.    Tressler. 

J.   E.    Tressler. 

J.   E.   Tressler. 

J.   E.  Herbst. 

J.   E.  Herbst. 

A.   L.    Selig. 

A.  L.  Selig. 

A.  L.   Selig. 

J.   H.   Berlin. 

J.   H.   Berlin. 

J.   H.   Berlin. 

A.   L.    Selig. 

A.   L.   Selig. 

A.   L.   Selig. 

J.   E.   Brewer. 

J.   E.   Brewer. 

J.   E.  Brewer. 

J.    P.    Burtis. 

J.    P.    Burtis. 

J.    P.    Burtis. 

H.    L.   Humphrey. 

H.    L.   Humphrey. 

A.  T.  Olson. 

A.  T.  Olson. 


302 


Clerical  Members  of  Kansas  Synod  from  1868  to  1907 


No.  | 


Name. 


Charges   Served. 


Ent  |     Dismissed    to 


9 
10 

11 
12 

13 

14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 

22 

23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 

39 
40 

41 
42 

43 
44 
45 
46 
17 
48 

49 
50 
51 
52 
53 
54 


G.   Ellinger 

B.   McAfee 

P.  Harrington.. 
W.   Wagenhals 

J.  Hesson 

J.  Hesson 

J.  Keplinger. . . 
G.    Boyer 


Earhart 

R.    Scherer. . . . 
G.  Groenmiller. 

F.  W.  Treptow 
B.  Belmer 

returned. 

Martin 

Ricksecker 

Harbaugh 

W.  Sargeant. .. 
Heigerd 

H.   Steck 

B.    Corbett 

E.    Crebs 

G.  Haag 

J.  Scheleen. .  . . 
G.    Nordengren 

Hawkinson 

G.   R.   Buetow. 

J.    Lindahl 

S.   Altman 

N.   St.  John 

F.  Alleman.  . . 

A.    Exline 

Weiser 

"Walker 

J.    Firey 

G.  Bergenskold 
K.    Eckman. .  .  . 

Young 

Cook 

A.   Trimper. . . . 

returned. 
F.  Dornblaser. 
C.   Seidel 


Valley   Falls,   Monrovia.. 
Valley    Falls,    Abilene. . . . 

Kansas    City   First 

Topeka 

Peabody,    Hutchinson. . . . 

Tipton,    Mo 

Atchison,   Monrovia 

Effingham 

Vinland,   Moray,   Pardee. 

Marshall  Co 

Rockport,    Mo 

Lawrence,    (Ger) 

Lawrence 

Peabody 

East  Norway 


Waterville 

Eureka 

Effingham 

Kansas  City  First 

St.    Louis,   Bunker  Hill... 
Abilene 


Geo.  Sanderson... 
W.    H.    Lilly 

returned. 

N.  W.  Lillv 

A.    K.    Felton 

L.  C.  Groseclose. 
A.    J.    Hartsock. . . 

A.    Essick 

J.  A.  M.   Ziegler. . 

returned. 
D.   H.   Snowden... 

D.    H.    Bauslin 

A.   J.   Kissel 

A.   L.  Anderson. . . 

John    Bond 

R.   B.   Whitehill..  . 

returned. 

returned. 
W.  I.   Cutter 

J.  H.  Harpster. . . 


1868 
1868 
I8i;,s 
1868 
1868 
1882 
1868 
1868 


Topeka   (Swedish) 

licensed. 

Randolph licensed. 

Fontanelle,    Neb 

Brantford , 

Ottawa 

Valley   Falls 

Topeka 

Bunker   Hill 

Georgetown,    Colo 

White   Rock 


Bellville,    Beattie. 

Osborne 

Salina 

Garnett 

Lawrence 


K.    C.   First,    Topeka 

Minneapolis,    Salina,    Ot- 
tawa,   Solomon 

(Licentiate) 
Abilene 


Garnett,  Haskell.. 

Bunker    Hill 

Eureka 

Salina 

Ellsworth 

Abilene 

Kansas  City  First. 


Peabody lie. 

Abilene.    Salina 

Georgetown,    Colo 

Glasco 

Peabody 

St.    James,   "Wellington — 


Monrovia,    Effingham, 

Atchison 

Hayes 


1869 

1869 
1869 
1869 
1869 
1SS4 
1869 
1869 
1870 
1870 
1S70| 
1870 
1870 
1S70 
1870 
1870 
1870 
1870 
1870 
1S71 
1871 
1872 
1872 
1872 
1872 
1872 
1873 
1873 
1873 
1873 
1873 
1874 
1877 
1874 

1876 

1876 
1876 
1879 
1S99| 
1877 
1S77 
1877 
1877 
1877 
1902 
1877 
1877 
1877 
1878 
1878 
1878 
1888 
1896 


1875 

1S89 
1876 
1872 
1899 
1886 

1890 
1873 
1889 
1871 
1870 
1872 
1888 
1896 
1871 
1890 
1875 


Died. 

Charter    member 

Ger.   Ref.   Ch. 
demitted    minis. 
W.    Penn.    Svnod 
N.   111.    Synod. 
Dropped. 
First    Ord. 
Alleg.    Synod. 
Alleg.     Synod. 
Died. 

Neb.    Synod. 
Deposed. 
Md.    Synod. 
Miami  Synod. 
Died. 

Moravian   Ch. 
Rocky  Mt.   Synd 
Died. 


1905|Died. 


1874 
1892 
1870 
1874 
1877 
1871 
1874 
1871 
1875 
1893 
1S73 
1872 
18S1 
1886 
1S80 
1875 
1876 
1876 

1889 

1875 
1876 
1884 
1892 

1888 
1899 
1876 
1S80 
....| 
1879 
1905 
1907 
1SS3 
1878 
1907 
1877 
1878 
1885 
1880 
1880 
1884 
1895 


E.    Pa.    Synod. 

Dropped. 

Pitt.    Synod. 

Deposed. 

Sw.  Aug.   Synod. 

By  exp.  of  lie. 

By  exp.   of  lie. 

Neb.    Synod. 

Sw.    Aug.    Svnod 

Died. 

Presby.   Ch. 

Md.    Synod. 

Dropped. 

Died. 

Died. 

C.   Pa.  Synod. 

Sw.    Aug.    Synod 

Cong.    Ch. 

Died. 

Neb.    Synod. 

Presbv.   Ch. 

Died. 

Wittenberg    Syd. 

W.  Pa.  Synod. 

By  exp.   of  lie. 

Iowa   Svnod. 

C.    111.    Synod. 

Active. 

Alleg.     Synod. 

Died. 

Calif.    Synod. 

West    Pa.    Synod 

Iowa   Svnod. 

Cal.    Synod. 

E.    Ohio    Synod. 

Witten.     Synod. 

Iowa    Synod. 

Iowa. 

Neb.    Synod. 

Presbv.   Ch. 

Cent.  "111.    Synod. 

Active. 


lS79|1S86(Drooped. 
1879  1882  N.   Y.   &  N. 


J.  S. 


303 


Name. 


J.   Schauer. 


E.  S.   Reese 

H.   F.   Long- 

S.    S.    Waltz 

A.  B.    Kirtland. . . 

D.  Scholl 

J.   A.    Lowe 

P.    C.    Holler 

M.    Stolpe 

R.   A.   White 

R.    F.    Hassinger. . 

B.  F.  Grenoble 

J.   A.   Bright 

G.  A.   Bowers 

M.  F.   Troxell.    .  .  . 

returned. 

H.   Acker 

H.    Sharpe 

J.  E.  Maurer.  . . . 
H.  Max  Lentz. .  .  . 
J.    A.    Hartman. . . 

I.  J.  Delo 

N.    A.    Whitman.. 

J.  M.  Cromer 

G.  S.  Diven 

P.  A.  Heilman. .  . . 
S.    Henry 

F.  D.    Altman 

B.  F.   Hills 

A.  M.  Geiger 

J.    P.    Schnure 

G.  D.   Gotwald 

M.    F.    Rinker 

returned. 

W.  M.  Sparr 

P,   S.    Nellis 

J.  G.  Graichen 

H.    L.    Yarger 

returned. 
J.    G.    M.    Hursh .  . 

C.  A.   Eyler 

S.     Palmer 

F.   M.    Porch 

S.    B.    Hyman 

returned. 

E.  B.  Killinger. .  . 
J.   Freet 


P.    Ewald 

B.  F.  Newton 

W.    M.B.  Glanding 

W.    F.    Rentz 

J.    F.    Scherer.... 

returned. 

E.    E.    Schantz 

J.    Auerback 

H.   A.    Koogle 

J.  H.  Hanstine. .  . 
J.  F.  Sponseller. . 
J.    H.    Stough 

C.  W.  Mag-gart..  . 
W.   W.    Kribbs..  .  . 

W.  H.  Wynn 

J.   B.   Umberger. . . 

W.    L.    Seabrook. . 


Charges   Served. 


Greenleaf,     Waterville, 

Bunker  Hill,    Perth 

Sabetha,  Barnes 

Bunker    Hill 

Kansas   City,   First 

New    Cambria 

Vinland 

White    Rock,    etc.     .  .    lie. 

lie. 

Marquette 

lie. 


Pleasant    Valley 

Ellsworth 

Abilene,   Peab'dy,   Emp'ra 

Eureka,   Kansas   City 

St.    Joseph 

Whitewater 

Hays 

Lawrence,    Hardy,    Wash. 

Eureka 

Emporia 

Lawrence 

Bunker    Hill 

Kansas   City 

Atchison 

Denver 

Ottawa 

Emporia,   Kansas  City.    .  . 
Mt.    Zion.    Banner   City... 

Valley    Falls 

Morrill 

Salina.   Kansas  City 

Greenleaf,    etc.    . lie. 

Long   Island 

Eureka 


Hayes 

Ellsworth,    Lawrence. 


Wellington    Hutchinson. 
Minneapolis 


Abilene.    Topeka. 
Lawrence 


Hayes.    Ellsworth 

Manchester,    Hardy, 

Norcatur lie. 

lie. 

lie. 


Atchison 

Chapman,    Ottawa. 
Minneapolis 


lie. 

lie. 

Bunker  Hill,    Etc lie. 


Waterville,    Minneapolis. 


Salina.     .  . 
Ellsworth. 


Oberlin,    New    Cambria. 

Ottawa 

Wichita,  Abilene 


Ent  I  Dismissed  to 


1879 

1879 

1879 

1879 
1879 
1879 
1879 
1879 
1880 
1880 
1881 
1882 
1882 
1882 
1882 
1899 
1882 
1882 
188:; 
1884 
1884 
1884 

188  i 
1884 
1884 

188  1 

18  84 

1885 
1885 
1885 
1885 
18  85 
1885 
1905 
1885 
188.; 
1886 
1886 
1895 
1887 

1887 
188  7 
1887 
1887 

1890 
1887 

1887 
1887 
1887 

1887 
1888 
1888 
1898 
1888 
1888 
1SS8 
18SS 

1889 
1889 
1889 
1889 
1889 

1889 

1889 


1905 
1S91 

1SS4 
1884 


1902 
1882 
1SS4 
ISSfi 

1888 
188  1 

i903 

1SS9 
1904 

1898 
1884 

1891 

1885 
1885 
1S87 
1887 

isss 

1890 


1904 
1904 
1SS5 
1890 
1891 

1900 
1901 
1889 
1894 

i894 
1S93 

iS94 
1889 
1891 
1892 

1905 
1888 
1888 
1889 
1S9S 
1892 
1904 
1SS9 
1889 

iS89 
1898 

1892 
1892 
1896 

1899 

1895 


Died. 

Cen.   111.    Synod. 

Cen.   Pa.   Synod. 

Olive  Br.   Synod. 

Active. 

Active. 

Neb.    Synod. 

Lie.    Exp. 

Aug.    Synod. 

Neb.    Synod. 

Cen.    Pa.    Synod. 

la.    Synod. 

Active. 

So.    111.    Synod. 

Cen.   111.    Synod. 

Neb.    Synod. 

Died. 

Hartwick    Synod 

Pbg.    Synod. 

Iowa    Synod. 

W.   Pa.    Synod. 

Iowa   Synod. 

N.    111.    Synod. 

Active. 

N.   Y.   &  N.   J.   S. 

Susq.    Synod. 

Active. 

Active. 

Rky.    Mt.    Synod. 

Died. 

Aleg.    Synod. 

Died. 

Olive  Br.   Synod. 

Active. 

Died. 

Died. 

S.    Car.    Synod. 

Pbg.    Synod. 

Active. 

S.    111.    Svnod. 

N.  Y.   &  N.  J.  S. 

Active. 

Olive  Br.    Synod. 

M.    E.    Ch. 

Deposed. 

Cen.  111.   Synod. 

Died. 

Neb.    Synod. 
Lie.    Exp. 
E.'  Pa.    Synod. 
E.    Pa.    Synod. 
N.    111.    Synod. 
Presb.    Ch. 
Lie.    Exp. 
Mis.    to   India. 
Active. 
Lie.    Exp. 
Neb.    Synod. 
Active. 
Calif.    Synod. 
Alleg.     Synod. 
Iowa    Synod. 

Miami    Synod. 
Va.    Synod. 


304 


Name. 


Charges   Served. 


Ent  |     Dismissed   to 


C.  J.  Kiefer 

S3.    G.    Dornblaser. 
J.    W.    Thomas.... 

W.   J.   Kurtz 

L.    C.    Routzahn... 
S.    C.    Chatham... 

I.   B.-  Heisey 

J.   N.  Lentz 

S.  S.  Kauffman.. . 

J.    G.    Trefz 

H.    Zimmerman. . . 

returned. 

H.  M.  Otaerholtzer 

J.   G.   Griffith 

J.    M.    Long 

P.  J.   Spraker 

J.   W.   Kimmel...  . 
E.    P.    Schueler. . . 

R.    B.    "Wolf 

B.    F.    Pugh 


E.   F.    Trefz 

P.    G.    Tonsing. . . . 

returned. 
J.   M.    Buzzard.. . . 

returned. 
A.  E.  Wagner. . . . 
H.   C.   Haithcox... 

A.  Sell 

S.   M.    Lesher 

returned. 

J.   M.    Seibert 

R.   H.   Williams... 

returned. 

B.  F.    Kistler 

J.    S.    Detwiler 

J.   Paetznick 

A.    M.    Reitzell 

returned. 

M.   D.   Berg 

J.   J.    Chambers. . . 

E.   F.   A.   Hantel.. 
G.   C.   Cromer 

D.  H.    Cramer. . . . 

E.  E.    Stauffer 

J.   A.  McCulloch.. 

L.   S.   Keyser 

W.  E.  Brehm 

C.  E.    Wirick 

H.  F.  Scheele 

G.   W.    Amick 

J.    L.    Hammond.. 

A.    F.    Dressel 

G.    W.    Livers 

W.   A.   Livers 

E.  H.   Combs 

1 1.    Dvsinger 

G.    O.    Ritter 

J.   F.   Petticrew... 

TT.    A.   Ott 

.1.   W.   Ball 

J.   T.   Miller 

F.  Bergstresser. . . 

J.  C.  Jacoby 

P.    Bergstresser. . . 

G.  Wenning 


Denver 

Emporia 

Valley   Falls 

Manchester lie. 

Salina 

Leavenworth 

Waterville ord. 

Ottawa,    Greenleaf. .     ord. 

Peabody 

Beloit 

Greenleaf,    Hays,     . .  .    lie. 

Emporia 

Salina 

Lawrence 

New  Cambria 

Hardy 

Leavenworth : . . 

Kansas    City ord. 

Eureka.    K.   C.    Ks. .  .    ord. 
Wellington,    Ottawa, 

Garnett 

St.    Joseph lie. 

Beloit 


Morrill lie. 


Topeka ord. 

Abilene 

Chapman 

Effingham ord. 

Sedalia 

Sedalia 

Peabody lie. 

Oklahoma   City 

Bunker  Hill,   Morrill,   ord. 

Kansas    City 

Glasco ord. 

Hutchinson lie. 

Wellington 

Whitewater lie. 

Jerico,    New   Cam-         lie. 

bria,    Perth 

Glasco 

Emporia ord. 

Greenleaf,    Hays.    Eureka. 
Wellington,  Lawrence  lie. 

Salina lie. 

Atchison •. 

Lawrence ' 

Emporia,    Salina 


Peabody 

Garnett 

Leavenworth lie. 

Greenleaf lie. 

Perth lie. 

White  water lie. 

Kansas   City,   First 

i  h:i pman 

Banner  City,   Etc 

Topeka,    Salina 

Kansas   City 

Long  Island ord. 

Abilene 

Sedalia 


Beloit. 


1889 
1890 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1892 
1892 
1892 
1893 
1892 
1893 
1901 
1894 
1894 
1894 
1894 
1S94 
1897 
1894 

1894 
1894 
1894 
1903 
1894 
1897 
1894 
1894 
1895 
1895 
1905 
1S95 
1895 
1901 
i  so*; 
1896 
1896 
1896 
1906 
1896 

1896 
1S97 
1897 
1897 
1897 
1897 
1898 
1898 
1898 
1899 
1899 
1899 
1899 
1899 
1899 
1899 
1900 

i: 

1900 
1900 
1900 
1900 
1 900 
1901 
1901 
1901 


1891 
1894 
1891 
1892 
1895 
1899 

i89S 

1S95 
1894 
1898 

i89S 

1897 
1898 
1898 
1900 

1900 


1899 
1900 

i896 

1897 
1900 
1900 
1896 
1898 

i900 

1898 
1903 
1905 
1896 
Lion 
1903 


1900 

1907 
1901 

1898 
1906 

i900 
1902 
1901 
1906 

1899 
1902 

1! 

1901 
1903 


1905 
1902 
1903 
1906 

i903 
1905 

1905 

1903 
1902 


Rky   Mt.    Synod. 
Miami    Synod. 
Cen.   111.    Synod. 
Lie.    Exp. 
Calif.    Synod. 
Dropped.' 
Active. 
Neb.    Synod. 
E.   Ohio  Synod. 
Wartburg   Synod 
Neb.    Synod. 
Active. 

Frankean    Synod 
Susq.    Synod. 
Iowa   Synod. 
Dropped. 
Neb.    Synod. 
C.    &   S.    111.  Syn. 
Active. 

Active. 
Neb.    Synod. 
Neb.    Synod. 
Active. 
Neb.    Synod. 
Rky.   Mt.    Synod. 
Alleg.    Synod. 
N.    Ind.    Synod. 
C.    111.    Synod. 
Neb.    Synod. 
Active. 
Neb.    Synod. 
Iowa    Svnod. 
Rky.   Mt.    Synod. 
Iowa    Synod. 
*  (see  foot  note) 
Wartburg   Svnod 
C.    111.    Synod. 
Active. 
Neb.    Synod. 

Calif.    Synod. 
Ger.   Neb.    Svnod 
C.&S.    111.    Synod 
Presby,    Ch. 
Active. 
Iowa    Synod. 
E.    Ohio    Synod. 
Cong.    Ch. 
N.   111.   Synod. 
Va.    Svnod. 
Wittenb.    Synod. 
Neb.    Svnod. 
C.&S.    111.    Synod 
Neb.    Synod. 
Active. 
Neb.    Synod. 
Pbg.    Synod. 
N.    Ind.    Synod. 
Miami    Synod. 
Active. 
Neb.    Synod. 

Active. 

Cen.   111.    Synod. 
Pbg.    Synod. 
Olive  Br.   Synod. 


Dismissed    without   recommendation. 


305 


No. 
175 
176 

177 
178 

179 
180 
181 
182 
1S3 
184 
185 
186 
187 

188 
189 
190 
191 
192 
193 
194 
195 
196 
197 
198 
199 
200 
201 
202 
203 
204 
205 
206 
207 
208 
209 
210 
211 
212 
213 


Name. 


Charges   Served. 


Ent  I     Dismissed   to 


J.   N.   Zimmer 

J.    M.    Herbst 

E.  V.  Nussbaum. . 
A.  B.  Schrader. . .. 

returned. 

C.    N.    Swihart 

C.    G.    Nielsen 

R.   M.   Badger 

C.    F.    Wiest 

W.   F.   Poot 

S.  G.  Knudten 

J.    F.    Krueger. . . . 

A.  R.   Betz 

J.    H.    Utesch 

returned. 

J.  F.  Cressler 

H.  H.  Hall 

Wm.   Kelly 

J.    K.   Rizer 

R.   W.   Hufford.... 

C.    F.    Schultz 

R.    Schim'elpfnnig 

F.  Heilman 

C.   W.    Sifferd 

B.  R.    Lantz 

M.    L.    Exline 

A.    E.    Renn 

T.    P.    Skovgard. .. 

R.   Richter 

O.  C.  Miller 

F.  R.   Shirck 

F.  S.    Delo 

G.  S.   Murphy 

J.   B.    Grove 

G.    G.    Clark 

J.   M.    Barnes 

Geo.    Beiswanger.. 

J.    C.    Schindel 

O.  MacWilliams. . 
Edw.  Bollman. . . . 
W.   W.    Horn 


Bunker    Hill 

Effingham 

Glasco 

Lawrence 

Kansas  City 

Peabody 

Beloit ord. 

lie. 

Hays 

Minneapolis 

Glasco ord. 

lie. 

lie. 

lie. 


1901 
1901 
1901 


190 

1903 


1901|1902 
1905 


New    Cambria. 

Chapman 

Oklahoma   City. 
Hutchinson.     .  . 

Atchison 

Wellington.    . . . 

Glasco 

Kansas  City.    . . 

Ottawa 

St    Joseph 


Atchison 

Peabody 

Greenleaf 

U.  S.  Army.  ... 
Whitewater.  . . 
Hutchinson.     .  . 

Peabody 

Norcatur 

Emporia 

Ellsworth 

Oklahoma  City. 
Kansas    City.    . 

Eureka 

Effingham 

Topeka.     .  .■ 


1902 

1902 
1902 

190: 
1903 
1903 
1903 
1903 
1903 
1907 
1903 
1904 
19(14 
1904 
1904 
1904 
1904 
1904 
1904 
1904 
1904 
1905 
1905 

ion-, 

1905 
1905 
1906 
1906 
1906 
1906 
1907 
1907 
1907 
1907 
1907 
1907 


1904 
1906 
1903 

i904 

1904 
19U3 
1904 
1904 


1906 
1906 
1905 
1906 

1906 


1906 


1906 
1907 


Active. 

Rky.   Mt.    Synod. 

Ger.   Neb.    Synod 

Wittenb.   Synod. 

Active. 

Rky.   Mt.    Synod. 

Miami    Synod. 

Cen.   111.   Synod. 

Active. 

Neb.    Synod. 

Died. 

Ger.   Neb.   Synod 

S.    111.    Synod. 

S.    111.    Synod. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 

Died. 

Iowa    Synod. 

E.    Pa.    Synod. 

Cen.    111.    Synod. 

Active. 

E.    Ohio    Synod. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 

Rky.   Mt.    Synod. 

Active. 

Died. 

Neb.   Synod. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 

Active. 


INDEX. 


Page. 

Abilene 51,  55 

Acker,     Rev.    H 72 

Altaian,    Rev.    F.    D. .  .77,  108,  126, 
24$,  249,-283. 

Amerieus 213 

Assaria 268 

Atchison 25,  55-8 

Atchison   Co.,   Mo 58 

Augustana,   Recension  of   . .         28 
August  ana   Synod   Report. . .       296 

Baden,    J.    P 245 

Banner    City 199 

Bamitz,   Rev.    S.    B 46,233 

Basis,     Doctrinal 32 

Barnes,    Rev.    J.    M 62-4,  283 

Barnes,   Messiah 189 

Beiswanger,   Rev.   Geo.  .65,  136,  283 

Beloit 59 

Benson.   A.   P 34,  280 

Benevolence,    Synodical   ....        217 
Bergstresser.   Rev.   F.    ..55,84,284 

Bethany   College 240 

Biographical     Sketches.     .  . .    280-8 

Bollman,    Rev.    E 76,284 

Boom   Days 196-7 

Border  Ruffianism 10,  17 

Boyer,    Rev.    M.    G 30,  33,  280 

Bright,    Rev.    J.    A 68,  284 

Brown    Co.,    St.    Paul's 64 

Brown   Co.,   Zions 67 

Brantford 267 

Bunker    Hill 60 

Burdick 269 

California   Trail 9 

Campus 67 

Carthage    College 229 

Cedar   Vale 211 

Chapman 69 

Charter,    Synod 216 


Page. 

Children's  Friend  Soc 255 

Church    Extension 43-49,50 

Ch.   Extension  Lots 47 

Change,    Name   of   Synod...       215 
Charter    Members.    ..... .32,  33,  34 

Clutz,    Rev.    J.   A.. 47,  48,  230-5,  281 
Clark,    Rev.    G.    G..  .78,  97,  188,  284 

Conferences,    Early 26 

Conventions,    Kan.    Synod. .       301 

Corporation,    Synod 215 

Crawford  Co.   Swedish 211 

Cressler,    Rev.    J.    F 72,284 

Crooked    Creek 14,  405 

Cromer,  Rev.  J.  M.  84,  102,  109,  284 
Cyclones 18,180,212 

Danish  Churches 300 

Definite    Platform 28 

Defunct    Churches 189-214 

Delight -  205 

Delmore 271 

Delo,    Rev.    F.    S 96,97,284 

Denver 73 

Doctrinal    Unrest.       28 

Dornblaser,    Rev.    T.    F.    ...40,281 

Dorrance 184 

Dubuque 287 

Earhart.    Rev.    D.    ...17-21,29.281 

Effingham 74-76 

Ellinger,  Rev.  J.  G 280 

Emporia 26-79,  188 

Enne 270 

Enterprise '. 195 

Enterprise,    Swedish 268 

Ellsworth 201 

Eureka 79 

Excelsior 62' 

Exiine.   Rev.   M.   L 284 

Expansion,    Period 36 


Page. 
Failure  to  Organize  Synod..         29 

Faulun w. .       270 

First   Luth.    Ch.   In  Kan.T..   11-13 

First  Clergyman  to  Kan 9 

First   Ordination 35 

First  Parochial  Report 291 

First  School  in  Kan 11 

Fontanelle,    Neb 195 

Franklin    Co 213 

Fremont 263 

Friend's    Home 265 

Garfield 268 

Garnett 83 

Georgetown.    Col 212 

German    Neb.    Synod 181,  300 

Glasco 86 

Goodland,  Rev.  J.  W 37,  45 

Gotwald,    Rev.   G.    D.   107,  110,  236, 
282. 

Gove    Co 270 

Grasshopper   Falls 12 

Great   Western    Home    Mis- 
sion   Convention 39 

Greenleaf,    Trinity 88 

Greenleaf ,    St.   John's 89 

Greenleaf,    St.    Paul's 90 

Groseclose,    Rev.    L.    C 82,  282 

Grove,   Rev.  J.   B 120,  134,  284 

Gustafslund 271 

Hall,   Rev.   H.  H 71,  285 

Halstead 205 

Hanover 181 

Hardy,    Neb 91,  203 

Harbaugh,    Rev.    D 170,282 

Harrington,    Rev.    S.    P.    32,  33,  38, 
280. 

Haskell 86 

Hays 91 

Heisey,   Rev.   I.   B.    ..97,171-4,285 

Henry,    Rev.    S 72,  285 

Herbst,   Dr.   J.   B 110,282 

Hesson,    Rev.    A.    J 25,32,280 

Helwig,   John 15,  16 

Home   Missions 43 

Home  Mission  Conv 38-9 

Home   Mission    Soc'y 21,  22 

Home    Mission    Soc'y   Aid..         21 

Home,   Friedens' •     184 

Home,   St.   John's 185 

Horn,   Rev.   W.   W 163,  285 


Page. 

Householder,    G.    W 34,280 

Hutchinson 94 

Hutchinson,    Swedish 270 

Incorporation  of  Synod.    . . .       215 
Iowa    Synod,    German 300 

Jerieo,    Bethel 96 

Jerico,    St.   James 99 

Johnson   Co.,    St.    Paul 213 

Joint  Home  Mission  Conv. .  38 

Joint   Synod,    Ohio 300 

Kackley 267 

Kanopolis 200 

Kansas  City,  Miss.  Conv. ...         38 

Kansas   City,    First 100 

Kansas  City,  Grace 109 

Kansas    City,    Memorial 105 

Kansas  City,  Kan.   Trinity.       112 

Kansas    City,    Swedish 213,272 

Kansas  Synod  Organization        30 

Kansas  Synod  Parochial 292-5 

Kansas    Synod    Conventions.      301 
Kansas  Synod  Clerical  Mem.     302 

Kansas    Con.    Statistics 272 

Kan.  Con.  in  Colo.  &  Tex...       273 

Kelley,  Rev.  Wm 110,136 

Kimmel,   Rev.    J.   W 189-194 

Kirtland,    Rev.   A.    B.,  129,  132,  285 
Keplinger,   Rev.   E.  J.    ..32,34,281 

Koogle,    Rev.    H.    A 63,285 

Kountze,    Augustus 242 

Kuhlman,   Rev.  J.  F 27 

Kuhns,   Rev.   H.   W 27 

Lindsborg 263 

Long   Island,    St.    Paul's 119 

Lancaster,  St.  Johns 114 

Lancaster,    St.   Paul's 114 

Lantz,    Rev.    B.    R 84,153,285 

Lawrence,    First 115 

Lawrence,    German 119 

Lawrence,    Swedish 267 

Leavenworth    Mission 190-4 

Lenker,  Rev.  J.  N 47 

Lesher,   Rev.   S.  M.    ...97,156,285 

Lilly,   Rev.   N.  W 86,285 

Lincoln    Center 206 

Lindquist,   Rev.   A.   W 258 


Page. 

Livers,  Rev.  W.  A 285 

Lone    Tree 205 

Lost  Springs 210 

Lowe,    Rev.   J.   A 72,91,282 

Ludden,  Rev.  L.  P 46 

Luther   Leagues 226,  276 

Manchester,  St.  James 123 

Manchester,  St.   Paul's 121 

Manhattan 269 

McPherson 269 

McAfee,   Rev.  J.   B.   11,  29,  229,  281 

Mariadahl    Church 262 

Martin,   Rev.   Charles 110,282 

Marshall    Co 267 

Marion    Hill 268 

Marquette 269 

Match   Church 193 

Mc  Williams,    Rev.    0 83,286 

Messiah  Festivals 243 

Meyer,   President  A.  W 245 

Midland  College 230-9 

Midland    Campus 238 

Midland    Cadets 239 

Midland   Library 237 

Midland    Residences 234 

Missionary   Soc.    Synodical. .       219 

Minneapolis,    Grace 125 

Minneapolis,    St.    John's.    . .       124 
•Minneapolis,   St.    Paul's.    ...       123 

.■Missouri    Synod 300 

\loray 19,  126 

.  Monrovia 14,206 

Murphy,    Rev.    G.    S.    ..84,144,286 

Nachusa    Orphanage 218 

Nehama   Co.,    Zion's 67 

Neve,   Rev.   J.   L 249 

New    Cambria 128 

New  Cambria,   St.   Paul's...  131 

New    Andover 268 

New  Gotland 266 

Norway 212 

Norcatur 133 

North  American   Synod 301 

Norwegian    Churches 301 

Nuckolls    Co.,    Bethel 204 

Oberlin 198 

Officer,    Rev.   Morris,    22-26,  44,  45, 
101,   115. 


Page. 

Oak   Hall 235 

Oklahoma  City 134 

Oldsburg 269 

Omaha  Missionary  Conv. ...  39 

Opinions  of  Early  Kansans.  24 

Organization,   Kansas   Syd..  30 

Organizations,    Hist.   of.    ...  51 

Osborn 195 

Osawkee 199 

Orphan's    Home,    Augustana.  274 

Orphan's    Home,    Missouri..  255 
Ott,  Rev.  H.   A... 5,  68,  84,  150,  163, 
286. 

Ottawa,   St.   Paul's 136 

Ottawa,    Swedish 266 

Page    Co 270 

Pa  lmer,    Rev.    S 72,  286 

Pardee 14,  205 

Parochial  Report,  First.    . . .       291 

Parochial,    Kans.    Synod 292-5 

Parochial,  Aug.   Synod 296-9 

Parochial,   Missouri 300 

Parochial,    Synod    Ohio.    . . .       300 
Parochial,   Ger.   Neb.    Synod       300 

Parochial,    Ger.    Iowa 300 

Parochial,    Danish 300 

Parochial,    Ger.    Ev 301 

Parochial,    Norwegian 301 

Peabody 140 

Perth 144 

Pihlblad,  President  E.  F 243 

Pioneer  Days 7 

Pittsburg 271 

Pleasant  Valley 209 

Pontiac 210 

Portland 209 

Pride 205 

Prohibition   Amendment.    . .       228 
Pugh,    Rev.    B.    F 85,86,286 

Railroads,    early .-..  8 

Radicalism 28 

Randolph    Church 195 

Reitzell,    Rev.    A.    M.. .  65,  177,  286 

Renn,   Rev.  A.   E 58,84,286 

Republic    City 204 

Richter,    Rev.    R 88,90,286 

Rinker,  Rev.  M.  F 286 

Russell,    St.    John's 182 

Russell,    Friedens 186 

Russell    Co.,    Trinity 185 


Page. 
Salemsborg 263 

Salina,    St.    John's 146 

Salina,    Swedish 265 

Santa    Fe    Trail 9 

Saron 271 

Scandia 267 

Sehauer,  Rev.  J 61,   189,282 

Scherer.   Rev.   F.   R 35,282 

Schmucker,    J.    G 32,  34,  281 

Schmucker,    Rev.    S.    S.; 28 

Schindel,    Rev.    J.    C 65,105,287 

Schimmelpfennig,    Rev.    R.  .88,  287 

Seidel,    Rev.    W.    C 110,  283 

Shrader,    Rev.    A.    B 109,  287 

Sifferd,    Rev.    C.   W 65,140,287 

Slavery    Problem 7 

Sedalia 154 

Sharon   Springs 271 

Shirck,    Rev.    F 97,  287 

Smolan 271 

Snyder,   S.  J.  H 15 

Sod    Church . . .- 50 

Sod  House 6 

Spring    Grove 211 

St.    John\s   College 244 

St.  Joseph 151 

St.   Louis,   Mo 23,25,156 

St.    Mary's 264 

Statistical  Tables 289 

Statistics,  First  Synod 35 

State  Center 204 

Starch   Church 192 

Stauffer,   Rev.   E.   E.    ..65,118,287 

Stockholm 271 

Stough,  Rev.  J.  H 237,287 

Stickney 187 

Stranger  Creek  Church.   ...21,200 

Summary  by  Synods 290 

Swedesburg 266 

Swensson,    Rev.    Carl 241 

Synodical    Secretaries 36-42 

Tabitha  Home 218 

Talbott,    J.    H 25,55,110,283 

Temperance   Legislation.    ..       227 

Tipton 24,  213 

Tonsing,  Rev.  P.  G 287 

Topeka,    First 25,  158 

Topeka,  Swedish 163,264 

Trails,    Early 9 


Page. 

Travelling   Synodical    Sec...         36 

Trego 271 

Trimper,    Rev.    A.    A 117,283 

Troxell.    President  M.   P.,     82,  105, 
106,  230,  234. 


CJtesch,   Rev.   John  H 60,287 

Valley    Falls 12,  163 

Versailles,    Mo 24,214 

Vilas 266 

Vinland is,  167 

Wagnalls,    A.    W.    ..25,33,100,281 

Walsburg 266 

Waltz,  Rev.   S.  S 102 

"Washington 210 

Waterville,   First 168 

Waterville,    Hebron 171 

Waterville,   Walnut  Tp.    ...       173 

Waterville    Swedish 265 

Wellington 177 

Western  Theol.  Sem 246-253 

Western   Secretaries 43,46,47 

W.  H.  &  F.  M.  S 219-224 

W.  H.  &  F.  M.  S.  Statistics  223-'' 
Whitehill,   Rev.   R.   B. .  .72,  177,  288 

White  Rock 20; 

Whitewater i7f 

Wichita,   St.   Paul's 195- 

Wiest,    Rev.    C.    F 84,  94,  2f 

Winfleld 21 

Wolf,    Rev.    R.    B...  ..5,  65,  112,  288 
Woman's  Miss.   Soc.  Aug.   Sn.  278 


Yarger,    Rev.    H.    L 49,50,118, 

202,  288. 

Young,  Rev.   Charles 146,283 

Young  People's  Societies...       225 
Y.   P.   S.   C.  E 225 


Ziegler,   Rev.   J.   A.   M 104 

Zimmer,   Rev.   J.   N 63,288 

Zimmerman,    Rev.    H.,. .  78,  94,  97. 
288. 


m 


/£re 


